Agriculture Support

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on Government support for the agriculture industry in the last financial year.

Alun Michael: The latest published figure for UK expenditure under the Common Agricultural Policy and on national grants and subsidies for agriculture is £3.1 billion for 2002–03 1 . This figure includes direct product subsidies, other subsidies on production, capital grants, transfers, other payments and CAP market support but does not include other expenditure of benefit to farmers and the farming community such as expenditure on animal health, research, advice and education.
	1 Source:
	"Agriculture in the UK 2003 edition"

Dairy Farming

Patrick McLoughlin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many farm workers were employed on dairy farms in England in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; and what the estimated number is for 2004–05.

Alun Michael: The figures as follows show the number of workers on holdings in England where dairy is the predominant activity. The figures include casual and family workers but exclude farmers, partners, directors and salaried managers. Estimates for 2004 are not available.
	
		Workers on dairy holdings
		
			  
		
		
			 1994 25,976 
			 1995 25,196 
			 1996 24,273 
			 1997 22,991 
			 1998 20,210 
			 1999 17,941 
			 2000 15,477 
			 2001 13,934 
			 2002 13,961 
			 2003 12,717 
		
	
	Notes:
	(a) Figures prior to 2000 show main holdings only. From 2000 onwards minor holdings are included.
	(b) Due to a register improvement exercise in 2001 labour figures prior to this are not directly comparable with later results.
	Source:
	June Agricultural Census

Fish Quotas

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what the status is of the proposals contained in the consultation document issued by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, dated 11 June 1998, headed Fixed Quota Allocations for Domestic Waters (Areas IV, VI and VII);
	(2)  whether the Department's policy on the feasibility and desirability of collecting and maintaining at individual vessel level comprehensive data on the catches made by under 10 metre PO members remains as set out in Annex B, section 8 of the consultation document issued by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, dated 11 June 1998, headed Fixed Quota Allocations for Domestic Waters (Areas IV, VI and VII).

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 3 February 2005
	I will reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible. The letter of 11 June 1998 communicates the Ministerial decision that a system of fixed quota allocations (FQAs) should be introduced in domestic waters from 1 January 1999. This decision was preceded by extensive consultation with the fishing industry.
	The position set out in the letter, regarding the management of under 10 vessels through producer organisations (POs), was changed following a review of the operation of the FQA system in consultation with industry in 2000–02. As a result of that review Fisheries Departments decided that under 10 metre vessels should, for the first time, be permitted to fish against "sectoral" quota allocations managed by POs as an alternative to fishing against the "pool" quota allocations for the under 10 metre fleet which are managed by Fisheries Departments in consultation with industry. The owners of the small proportion of under 10 metre vessels who elect to fish against PO allocations are required to complete EU logbooks and submit landing declarations in the same way as vessels over 10 metres. The new arrangements were communicated to fishermen in August 2002.

Fish Quotas

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in how many areas in (a) the UK and (b) France, monthly cod quota allocations are imposed on individual vessels operated by under 10 metre PO members; and when those limitations were imposed.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 3 February 2005
	Within the UK under 10 metre vessels whose owners elect to fish against quota allocations managed by producer organisations (POs) are not subject to monthly catch limits set by Fisheries Departments. I understand that in France, unlike in the UK, all under 10 metre vessels whose owners wish to fish for quota stocks are required to join a PO and to observe any catch restrictions which their PO may set. We do not have details of those restrictions.

Fish Quotas

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what legal instruments set out her Department's powers to impose monthly quota allocations in the Channel fishery (ICES area VIId) in respect of and landings by individual vessels in the under 10 metre fishing fleet; when those instruments were promulgated; when they were first published; and when they came into force;
	(2)  what the legal basis under (a) Community law and (b) domestic law is for establishing monthly quota allocations in the Channel fishery (ICES area VIId) in respect of cod landings by individual vessels in the under 10-metre fishing fleet.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 3 February 2005
	Council Regulation (EC) No. 2371/2002 of 20 December 2002 provides (Article 20 (3)) that each member state shall decide on the method of allocating fishing opportunities (in the form of portions of its national quotas) to its vessels. Sub-section 4 (6) of The Sea Fish (Conservation) Act 1967 (c. 84) stipulates that fishing vessel licences may be
	". . . subject to such conditions as appear to the Minister granting the licence to be necessary or expedient for the regulation of sea fishing".
	Monthly catch limits for vessels under 10 metres catching cod in ICES area Vlld and other parts of the Channel fishery were first introduced in June 2002. The holders of fishing vessel licences for such vessels were formally notified of the limits by letter of 28 May 2002 enclosing licence variations, following which the catch limits became an enforceable condition of their licences. Subsequent changes to the limits were similarly notified: these included the introduction for 2003, following representations from fishermen, of separate "profiled" catch limits for the Eastern and Western Channel, details of which were sent to fishermen on 20 January 2003.

Fish Quotas

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what (a) consultation documents and (b) other communications have been published by her Department since 11 June 1998 concerning the collection at individual vessel level of data on the catches made by under 10 metre PO members;
	(2)  what representations her Department has received from (a) fishermen and (b) fishermen's representatives since 11 June 1998 in relation to (i) the collection at individual vessel level of data on cod catches made by under 10 metre PO members and (ii) the imposition of monthly quota allocations for individual vessels operated by those members exploiting waters in Area VIId.

Ben Bradshaw: In June 2000, following requests from industry, Ministers announced that arrangements would be considered to enable producer organisations (POs) to manage quota on behalf of under 10 metre vessels in their membership. As part of a wider review of the system of fixed quota allocations (FQAs), a consultation letter was sent to fishermen and other interested parties on 8 October 2001 proposing, among other changes, that the owners of under 10 metre vessels should be permitted to fish against quota allocations managed by POs, and that those vessel owners opting to do so should maintain logbooks and submit landing declarations. This proposal was supported by the majority of those who commented and was accepted by Ministers, whose decision was notified to fishermen in August 2002. Since then correspondence has been received from a relatively small number of under 10 metre vessel owners in the form of requests to participate in the new arrangements.
	Under 10 metre vessels fishing against quota allocations managed by POs are not subject to monthly catch limits set by Fisheries Departments, but to such restrictions as their POs may determine.

Mr. Paul Joy

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the evidential basis was of the public statement made by Andus Radford, district fisheries inspector, that the fine imposed on Mr. Paul Joy amounted to a quarter of his income for the month of September 2003.

Ben Bradshaw: No such statement was made. In a radio interview Mr. Radford commented as follows:
	"During the month we took the offences, there were a number of other species that were available to the fishermen and cod was only one of a number of species they could fish off the beach for in Hastings and in fact it only constituted about one quarter of their income for that particular month."
	The month in which the offence occurred was in fact October 2003. Mr. Joy was fined £4,996, of which £1,496 related to the value of the cod which was illegally landed.

Woodland Grant Scheme

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on her plans for a replacement for the Woodland Grant Scheme.

Ben Bradshaw: The Forestry Commission announced in March 2004 that the English Woodland Grant Scheme (EWGS) would replace the Woodland Grant Scheme in 2005. The EWGS, which is expected to be fully open for applications from July, comprises six elements which are designed to support the establishment and management of sustainable woodland. These are:
	"Woodland Creation Grant" to support the creation of properly designed and well located new woodlands.
	"Woodland Assessment Grant" to support the gathering of specific information to improve management decisions.
	"Woodland Management Planning Grant" to support the preparation of plans that meet the UK Woodland Assurance Standard.
	"Woodland Management Grant" to support the basic management activities that underpin woodland sustainability.
	"Woodland Regeneration Grant" to support desirable changes in the delivery of public benefits from woodland.
	"Woodland Improvement Grant" to create and sustain an increase in the quality of woodlands.

Guyana

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what (a) technical assistance, (b) advice and (c) cash donations the Government have given to the Caribbean for disaster management following (i) Hurricane Ivan and (ii) the recent floods in Guyana.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: The events of last year's hurricane season in the Caribbean, has given an added urgency to the Department for International Development's (DFID) work on a Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy. There are best practice lessons to be learnt from within the region, for example in its preparedness for Hurricane Mitch and Cuba demonstrated that lives can be saved with a relatively small amount of resources. DFID's Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy, will be ready by autumn 2005, and will feed into our assistance plans for all the countries and regions where we work.
	Over the period 2003–08, DFID is providing £3.75 million to the Pan American Health Organisation's Programme for Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Relief (PAHO PED). Of this money approximately a third will be allocated to the countries and territories of the Caribbean. PAHO PED focus on three key activities:
	preparing the health sector for disasters
	reducing the vulnerability of hospitals
	reducing the vulnerability of water and sanitation systems.
	PAHO PED have also trained many professionals in the Caribbean region on disaster risk reduction policy and practice.
	DFID's Overseas Territories Department (OTD) have a Disaster Management Adviser based in the Caribbean and an ongoing disaster management programme (£350,000 per annum) with an emphasis on strengthening preparedness and risk reduction capabilities in the Caribbean Territories.
	The FCO has a £55,000 per annum Good Governance Fund (GGF) disaster management project for the Overseas Territories (OTs) designed to raise the capacities of National Disaster Offices in the Caribbean OTs.
	Within these programmes DFID OTD and FCO OTD are providing £80,000 to the Caribbean Disaster Emergency and Response Agency (CDERA) to facilitate national performance evaluations by Caribbean countries affected in the 2004 hurricane season. A high level forum is being organised for 2005 to share experiences, to identify opportunities to improve disaster planning and to agree an action plan. Evaluations are already under way.
	The DFID and FCO OT programmes have allocated £30,000 for emergency supplies and capacity building of British Red Cross OT Branches in the Caribbean for 2005.
	In a written response I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Islington, North (Jeremy Corbyn) on 25 October 2004, Official Report, column 989W, I mentioned that DFID OTD had commenced a study to determine Hurricane Ivan storm characteristics and consequential physical infrastructure damage in the Cayman Islands. The study, to which we have allocated £20,000, will aid the development of planning and preparedness criteria throughout the region.
	The disaster management adviser offers direct technical assistance to Caribbean Overseas Territories. He remains engaged and involved in the longer-term recovery and risk reduction programme in the Cayman Islands.
	With respect to the ongoing flooding emergency in Guyana, which is estimated to have affected 294,000 people or 39 per cent. of the population of Guyana, DFID immediately gave a total of £100,000 to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) for the delivery of emergency supplies and the Government of Guyana's own relief effort. This support will provide water purification sachets and water containers, and survival items such as blankets and treated mosquito nets to reduce the chances of malarial infection.
	DFID has also made available a 20-member six boat team from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution's (RNLI) Rapid Response Unit. This team is led by a member of DFID's Conflict and Humanitarian Affairs Department, and will help with the distribution of supplies in areas cut off by the floods. The estimated cost of the RNLI initiative is £120,000, which includes the provision of 400 pairs of waders and 50 loudhailers (worth £15,000). The RNLI team and these supplies arrived in Georgetown on 2 February 2005. The RNLI team began work immediately and the supplies have been handed over to the Government of Guyana's Civil Defence Commission.
	A further £57,000 has been allocated to the Pan-American Health Organisation (PAHO) in Guyana, to help improve the quality of drinking water for up to 195,000 people/35,000 households and offer short-term solutions for human waste disposal.
	The UK has also made £95,000 available as part of our contribution to the European Commission's Humanitarian assistance.
	Once the immediate emergency has passed, we will work with the Government of Guyana, local and international relief agencies, to review and assess Guyana's disaster preparedness and the lessons learned from these floods.

Rwanda

Clare Short: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether it is his policy to withhold aid from Rwanda if he receives evidence of attacks by Rwandan forces on groups seeking to destabilise the country, with particular reference to the ex-FAR and the Interahamwe.

Hilary Benn: The UK Government is Rwanda's major bilateral development partner. Our engagement with the Government of Rwanda is based on the UK/Rwanda Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The MoU describes the Government of Rwanda's commitments to the Rwandan people on poverty reduction, promoting regional stability, creating a democratic and inclusive state, and progressively securing human rights. The Government of Rwanda's undertakings include commitment to playing a full part in international and regional initiatives to prevent and reduce conflict within and between countries and establish peace in central Africa.
	The MoU confirms that the UK's engagement depends on continuing progress in these areas. Should we believe that the Government of Rwanda is not honouring the commitments made in the MoU, the UK's programme of assistance to the Government of Rwanda may be reconfigured or suspended.
	DFID is concerned by reports that Rwanda planned to mount a cross-border operation in DRC against elements of the ex-FAR and the Interahamwe (ex-FAR/l). Any military action by Rwanda in DRC would have very serious repercussions for Rwanda, DRC and the region as a whole. DFID has urged all parties to refrain from any actions that would breach international law and undermine regional stability and the work of the UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC). We therefore welcome the recent statements by the Government of Rwanda indicating that they will not pursue cross-border military action and will support international efforts to disarm the ex-FAR/l in eastern DRC.
	DFID condemns the attacks made by the ex-FAR/l against Rwandan citizens and territory and also recognises that the disarmament of the ex-FAR/l is a critical requirement that needs to be addressed urgently. We are working actively with the UN and international partners on how this can best be addressed.

Crown Prosecution Service Prosecutions

Vera Baird: To ask the Solicitor-General what training the Crown Prosecution Service (a) organises for and (b) delivers to the Bar to ensure that its new code of practice on rape prosecutions is followed at trial.

Harriet Harman: The "CPS Policy for Prosecuting Cases of Rape" explains the way in which the CPS deals with cases in which an allegation of rape has been made.
	The training the CPS delivers to the Bar on the "CPS Policy for Prosecuting Cases of Rape" is determined at a local level. Not all CPS Areas have a local Bar. Seven CPS Areas have offered, organised and trained or provided training materials to their local Bar covering the Sexual Offences Act 2003 of which two Areas gave specific training on the "CPS Policy for Prosecuting Cases of Rape". Other Areas have distributed the "CPS Policy for Prosecuting Cases of Rape" highlighting the issues raised in the document.
	In addition, this document is on the CPS website and available to all barristers.

Crown Prosecution Service Prosecutions

Vera Baird: To ask the Solicitor-General what instructions are given by the Crown Prosecution Service to the Bar in rape trials about meeting and speaking to the complainant.

Harriet Harman: The instructions given by the Crown Prosecution Service to the Bar about meeting and speaking to complainants in all trials are provided in the Crown Prosecution Service's Instructions to Advocates booklet.
	The booklet contains the following instructions:
	"The advocate is reminded that the Code of Conduct permits barristers appearing at court to introduce themselves to witnesses and to explain court procedures. The CPS regards this personal contact as particularly important so far as victims of crime are concerned. The advocate's attention is also drawn to the duty imposed by the Code of Conduct to ensure that those facing unfamiliar court procedures are put at ease. This is particularly important in the case of nervous or vulnerable witnesses."
	Instructions to Prosecuting Advocates also remind the Bar that in some cases, the advocate may be expected to attend an early special measures meeting, at which the police and the CPS will discuss special measures in the case. All rape victims are considered prima facie eligible for special measures unless they decline them.
	The instructions to Prosecuting Advocates booklet is available on the internet.
	Further work is ongoing between the CPS and the Bar to reinforce CPS expectations that prosecuting counsel will communicate appropriately with victims, particularly rape victims, at court.

Crown Prosecution Service Prosecutions

David Amess: To ask the Solicitor-General pursuant to her answer of 13 January 2005, Official Report, column 930W, on Crown Prosecution Service prosecutions, what the nature of the offences committed by the defendants being prosecuted by Essex Crown Prosecution Service were; how many defendants were (a) convicted and (b) acquitted; and what the average cost of the prosecution in such cases was in each year since 2000.

Harriet Harman: The Crown Prosecution Service only introduced a system for the recording and analysis of principal offence types in September 2004. A table of the principal offence types and outcomes for the period since September 2004 is as follows.
	Average prosecution costs are calculated nationally and so average prosecution costs for Essex are not available. The average cost for a defendant prosecuted for a summary offence in the magistrates court, is £390.80. To prosecute a defendant for an either way offence in the magistrates court, the average cost is £393.
	The average cost for a defendant prosecuted in the Crown court following a mixture of guilty and not guilty pleas, is £1,256. For a defendant who pleads not guilty to all charges the average cost of a prosecution is £1,293. A table showing the breakdown of costs by case disposal is as follows.
	
		Principal offence types for defendants prosecuted by CPS Essex 2004
		
			   Discontinued (including Judge Ordered Acquittals) Discharged Committals Judge Directed Acquittals and Dismissals no Case to Answer Acquittals and Dismissals after Trial Total Acquittals Proofs in Absence 
		
		
			 A Homicide 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 B Offences Against The Person 211 4 5 48 53 2 
			 C Sexual Offences 13 1 0 7 7 0 
			 D Burglary 28 0 2 3 5 0 
			 E Robbery 6 1 1 1 2 0 
			 F Theft and Handling 63 4 1 12 13 0 
			 G Fraud and Forgery 11 3 0 2 2 0 
			 H Criminal Damage 39 0 1 10 11 0 
			 I Drugs Offences 6 2 1 1 2 0 
			 J Public Order Offences 56 0 1 13 14 4 
			 K All Other Offences (excluding Motoring) 36 1 0 5 5 2 
			 L Motoring Offences 99 0 5 27 32 990 
			  Total 568 16 17 129 146 998 
		
	
	
		
			   Guilty Pleas Convictions after Trial Total Unsuccessful Outcomes (excluding Administrative Finalisations) Percentage Total Convictions Percentage Total 
		
		
			 A Homicide 2 0 0 0.0 2 100.0 2 
			 B Offences Against The Person 433 70 268 34.7 505 65.3 773 
			 C Sexual Offences 26 11 21 36.2 37 63.8 58 
			 D Burglary 122 10 33 20.0 132 80.0 165 
			 E Robbery 21 4 9 26.5 25 73.5 34 
			 F Theft And Handling 648 25 80 10.6 673 89.4 753 
			 G Fraud And Forgery 47 1 16 25.0 48 75.0 64 
			 H Criminal Damage 206 9 50 18.9 215 81.1 265 
			 I Drugs Offences 161 12 10 5.5 173 94.5 183 
			 J Public Order Offences 273 17 70 19.2 294 80.8 364 
			 K All Other Offences (excluding Motoring) 245 29 42 13.2 276 86.8 318 
			 L Motoring Offences 1,524 121 131 4.7 2,635 95.3 2,766 
			  Total 3,708 309 730 12.7 5,015 87.3 5,745 
		
	
	Crown Prosecution Service records include an analysis of the principal offence type for which each defendant was prosecuted and, within that analysis, an indication of the outcome of proceedings. The information from these records is as follows in respect of CPS Essex, including the number of acquittals.
	It should be noted that this information is incomplete in two respects:
	The record was only introduced in September 2004; and
	The analysis of outcomes takes no account of cases which resulted in an administrative finalisation (where the defendant could not be traced by the police, or had died, or been found unfit to plead). The number and proportion of unsuccessful outcomes are therefore understated.
	
		Costs per defendant finalised—National
		
			 £ 
			 Finalisation category Lawyer DCW Admin Total 
		
		
			 Magistrates court 
			 Guilty Summary 22.91 6.98 12.35 42.24 
			 Guilty Either way 67.42 5.77 18.92 92.11 
			 Discharged Committal 152.42 4.42 48.39 205.23 
			 Prosecution dropped 101.16 4.56 26.13 131.85 
			 Write off 54.94 6.99 14.81 76.74 
			 Other Proceedings 22.72 7.85 8.32 38.89 
			 Trial—Summary 319.87 3.52 67.40 390.79 
			 Trial—Either way 324.63 2.53 65.82 392.98 
			 Pre Charge Decision 29.07 0.00 0.06 29.13 
			 Youth case (additional to PI above) 24.67 0 9.73 34.40 
			 "Late Guilty" (additional to PI above) 96.78 0 40.03 136.81 
			  
			 Crown court 
			 Timeous Guilty 482.45 173.47 86.42 742.34 
			 Late Guilty 544.49 211.74 102.83 859.06 
			 Not guilty Contest 620.65 547.65 124.75 1,293.05 
			 Guilty/Not Guilty Contest 598.26 534.01 122.71 1,254.98 
			 Prosecution dropped 543.82 180.26 96.20 820.28 
			 Write off 458.68 148.39 78.47 685.54 
			 Appeals 69.08 61.11 32.78 162.97 
			 Committal for sentence 36.50 55.89 35.36 127.75

Crown Prosecution Service Prosecutions

David Amess: To ask the Solicitor-General pursuant to the answer of 26 January 2005, Official Report, columns 345–46W, on Crown Prosecution Service prosecutions (Essex), what the cost to public funds was of prosecutions (a) in each year since 1997 and (b) for the period to September 2004; and if she will make a statement.

Harriet Harman: The costs of prosecutions to public funds are divided into two categories. The first is the prosecution cost and the second is administration costs. The Crown Prosecution Service uses financial years for managing budgets and costs.
	The table shows prosecution and administrative costs incurred by CPS Essex during each financial year since April 1997. Administration costs include all payroll costs and other non-payroll administration costs.
	
		CPS Essex—Prosecution costs (1997 to September 2004)
		
			   £ 
			 Financial year Prosecution Administrative 
		
		
			 1997–98 1,778,157 2,954,806 
			 1998–99 2,205,035 3,108,413 
			 1999–2000 2,391,631 3,379,999 
			 2000–01 2,470,118 3,562,268 
			 2001–02 1,751,749 4,314,751 
			 2002–03 2,377,503 5,071,496 
			 2003–04 2,943,440 5,610,187 
			 2004–2005 (to September 2004) 1,685,430 3,093,535

Football Banning Orders

David Amess: To ask the Solicitor-General how many football banning order cases the Crown Prosecution Service has brought in (a) Essex and (b) England and Wales in each year since 1997; and how many of these resulted in (i) conviction and (ii) acquittal.

Harriet Harman: The following table sets out the relevant figures. The figures relate to persons for whom these sentences were for the principal offences for which they were found guilty. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
	
		Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates court and convicted at all courts for offences related to football banning orders. England and Wales and Essex police force area, 1997 to 2003
		
			Essex England and Wales 
			 Offence description Principal statute Year Proceeded against Found guilty Acquitted Proceeded against Found guilty Acquitted 
		
		
			 12530 breach of a domestic football banning order Public Order Act 1986 S.32(3) 1997 — — — 5 5 — 
			   1998 — — — 20 20 — 
			   1999 — — — 17 15 — 
			   (1)2000 — — — 15 12 — 
			   2001 — — — 9 7 — 
			   2002 — — — 4 2 — 
			   2003 — — — 7 4 — 
			  
			 12559 Failure to comply with requirements of Football Banning Order Football Spectators Act 1 989 S.14J 1997 — — — — — — 
			   1998 — — — — — — 
			   1999 — — — — — — 
			   (1)2000  —  2 2 — 
			   2001  —  8 8 — 
			   2002 1 1 — 23 21 — 
			   2003  —  57 49 — 
			  
			 50200 Other offences related to Football Banning Orders Football Spectators Act SS.14B, 21B and 22 1997 — — — — — — 
			   1998 — — — — — — 
			   1999 — — — — — — 
			   (1)2000 — — — — — — 
			   2001 — — — — — — 
			   2001   
			   2002   
			  
			 Failing to comply with the duty to report imposed by a restriction order Football Banning Order Act S.14(4) 1997 — — — — — — 
			   1998 — — — — — — 
			   1999 — — — — — — 
			   (1)2000 — — — — — — 
			   2001 — — — — — — 
			   2002 — — — — — — 
			   2003 — — — — — — 
			  
			 Failing to comply with requirements necessary to give effect to restriction orders Football Spectators Act 1989 S.19(6) 1997 — —  2 2 — 
			   1998 — — — 3 2 — 
			   1999 — — — 1 1 — 
			   (1)2000 — — — 3 3 — 
			   2001 — — — 3 2 — 
			   2002 — — — 9 8 — 
			   2003 — — — 34 29 — 
		
	
	(1) Staffordshire police force were only able to submit sample data for persons proceeded against and convicted in the magistrates courts for the year 2000. Although sufficient to estimate higher orders of data, these data are not robust enough at a detailed level and have been excluded from the table.
	Note:
	These Data are on a principle offence basis.
	Source:
	RDS — Office for Criminal Justice Reform IOS: 039—04

Car Hire Services (Disabled People)

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the number of (a) car hire and (b) car breakdown services that are not accessible to disabled people; what proportion this amounts to of the total number of these services in operation in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Charlotte Atkins: The number of car hire firms in the UK is estimated to be over 500 companies and the numbers of firms that provide breakdown recovery services is estimated to be between 1200 and 1500.
	There is currently no legal requirement for these companies to offer a service to disabled people. Some of the car hire companies, especially the larger ones, do offer a basic service to disabled people such as offering portable hand controls and many of the vehicle recovery operators also provide a service for disabled people, but it is not possible to estimate the numbers.
	The Government is currently consulting on proposals to bring car hire companies and vehicle breakdown recovery operators within the scope of Part 3 of the Disability Discrimination Act to extend the rights of disabled people to access these services.

Integrated Transport Strategy (York)

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received on the (a) car parking charges imposed by the York council for parking in York at night and (b) closure of the Park and Ride schemes in York at 8 p.m. at night; and what assessment he has made of the impact of these policies on achieving an integrated transport strategy in York.

Charlotte Atkins: The Department has received no such representations and consequently we have made no assessment of the impact of these policies on achieving an integrated transport strategy in York. These are local issues, to be determined by City of York council as local highway authority.

Rail Usage

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the target set in the 10-Year Plan 2000 to increase rail use by 50 per cent. by 2010 is still in force.

Alistair Darling: As I have made clear on a number of occasions this target was unrealistic. Last year Britain's railway carried over 1 billion passengers and people are travelling further by rail than in any year since 1946.
	New Public Service Agreement (PSA) targets come into effect in April 2005. The current growth target for rail will be replaced by a target to "improve punctuality and reliability of rail services to at least 85 per cent. by 2006, with further improvements by 2008". This target better reflects the Government's and passengers' immediate priority of improving performance. Obviously as performance improves more people will want to travel by train and the Government's rail policy is to encourage them to do so.

Thames Gateway (Transport Authorities)

Sydney Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many local transport authorities in the Thames Gateway outside Greater London have reported on the six core accessibility indicators as part of their local transport plan.

Charlotte Atkins: Guidance issued to local transport authorities in December 2004 on the next round of local transport plans (LTPs) includes the requirement that authorities set at least one target relating to accessibility, based on one of the six core indicators, a local accessibility indicator or both. This is a new requirement following the recent development of accessibility planning guidance.
	Provisional LTPs including this requirement are not due to be submitted until July 2005, with the final LTPS to be completed by March 2006.

Apprenticeships

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many apprenticeships funded by the Learning and Skills Council were begun in each region during the six months ending 31 December 2004.

Ivan Lewis: This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council. Mark Haysom the Council's Chief Executive will write to my hon. Friend with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.

Education Spending (North Durham)

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the amount spent per pupil was in North Durham in (a) 1997, (b) 2001 and (c) the latest period for which figures are available.

Stephen Twigg: The information requested is contained within the following table:
	
		Combined LEA and school based expenditure1,2 per pupil 3—cash terms
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 1997–98(5) 2,550 
			 2001–02 3,270 
			 2003–04 3,910 
		
	
	(2) The combined LEA and school based expenditure includes all expenditure on the education of children in LEA maintained establishments and pupils educated by the LEA other than in maintained establishments. This includes both school based expenditure and all elements of central LEA expenditure except youth and community and capital expenditure from revenue (CERA).
	(3) 1997–98 financial data are taken from Revenue Outturn spending returns submitted to the ODPM 2001–02 and 2003–04 financial data are taken from Section 52 Outturn Statements submitted to the Department for Education and Skills. 2003–04 data remains provisional and is subject to change by the LEA.
	(4) Pupil figures include all pre-primary pupils, including those under 5s funded by the LEA and being educated in private settings, pupils educated in maintained mainstream schools and other LEA maintained pupils. The pupil data for pupils attending maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special schools are taken from the DfES Annual Schools Census. Private voluntary and independent (FVI) under 5 pupil numbers are taken from the Early Years census but are only included from 1999–2000 onwards. Other LEA maintained pupils includes all pupils attending schools not maintained by the Authority for whom the Authority is paying full tuition fees, or educated otherwise than in schools and pupil referral units under arrangements made by the Authority drawn from the Form 8b submitted to the DfES. Also included as other LEA maintained pupils are all pupils attending pupil referral units who are not registered at a maintained mainstream school drawn from the DfES Annual Schools Census. All pupil numbers are adjusted to be on a financial year basis.
	(5) Spending in 1997–98 reflects the transfer of monies from local government to central Government for the nursery vouchers scheme. These were returned to local government from 1996–99.
	Notes:
	1. Financial data is collected at local authority level and not constituency level and as such the figures provided are for Durham LEA.
	2. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 as reported the Durham LEA at 3 February 2005.

League Tables

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the oral answer of 20 January 2005, Official Report, column 948, on league tables, what assessment her Department has made of the improvement in average results at GCSE that would be achieved if all local education authority areas were to perform at the same level as selective local education authority areas.

Stephen Twigg: holding answer 25 January 2005
	If all local education authority areas returned the same value added as selective local education authority areas, the average results would improve by nine points at GCSE, where a grade C, for example, is equal to 40 points and a grade B equal to 46 points.
	However, this calculation does not take account of the different characteristics of pupils educated in different LEAs, so it does not give an estimate of the possible impact of making all LEAs selective.

New Deal for Schools

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many bids Surrey local education authority has made for funding under the New Deal for Schools; what the total monetary value of these bids is; how many grants the authority received under the New Deal for Schools; and what the total monetary value of these grants is.

Stephen Twigg: Surrey local education authority presented a total of 99 bids for New Deal for Schools between 1997 and 2002. The total monetary value for these bids amounts to £29,905,000. The number of approved projects was 69, with a total value of £17,575,000.

School Meals

Debra Shipley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when Ofsted will take school meals into account during inspections as set out in the White Paper, "Choosing Health: making healthy choices easier".

Stephen Twigg: This is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, David Bell, will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of the letter in the House Library.

Sprinklers

Ross Cranston: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what her policy is on installation of sprinklers in schools; what advice she has given to schools on installation of sprinklers; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Twigg: Since April 2001, all new construction work at schools has been subject to the Building Regulations. Projects will not be approved unless they are designed in accordance with the 2000 edition of Approved Document B (Fire Safety), which accompanies the regulations. The Building Regulations do not require the installation of fire sprinkler systems in new school accommodation but that does not mean that local education authorities are prohibited from specifying their use.
	My Department's cost guidelines do not include for the cost of installation of sprinklers as standard. Where risk assessment shows that sprinklers are desirable, their costs can be included as an abnormal.
	The Department's guide "Fire Safety" includes information on fire sprinklers. It states that, though expensive to install, their use may be worthwhile in schools where the risk of arson is high. In these circumstances sprinkler systems can help minimise the loss of valuable course work and teaching materials through fire, and prevent major disruption to the life of a school.

African Aid

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his policy for funding aid for Africa.

Stephen Timms: The UK policy for funding aid to Africa is to collaborate effectively with other donors to funding government-owned poverty reduction plans. UK aid to Africa will rise to £1.25 billion a year by 2008, from around £864 million today. However, in order to meet the Millennium Development Goals, Africa faces a large funding gap. The UK proposes to fill this gap by working with G7 and EU countries to agree 100 per cent. multilateral debt relief and the launch of the International Finance Facility.

Breast Cancer

Simon Hughes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what percentage of breast cancer patients live for at least five years following treatment in the United Kingdom; and what the average survival rate is in the European Union.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Simon Hughes, dated 7 February 2005
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question concerning what percentage of breast cancer patients live for at least five years following treatment in the United Kingdom; and what the average survival rate is in the European Union. (214360)
	Survival figures for the UK as a whole are not currently available. The latest available survival rates for breast cancer in England and Wales are for adult patients (aged 15–99 years) diagnosed during 1996–99 and followed up to 31 December 2001. The five-year age-standardised1 relative survival rate for female patients diagnosed with breast cancer during 1996–99 2 in England and Wales was 77.5% (125,093 patients included in analysis 3 ). These statistics are available on the National Statistics website at
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/ssdataset.asp?vlnk=7899
	The latest survival rates for breast cancer in Scotland are available on the Scottish Cancer Registry, Information and Statistics Division Scotland website:
	http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/info3.jsp?pContentID=1420i&p applic=CCC&p service=Content.show&
	Figures for Northern Ireland are available on the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry website at:
	http://www.qub.ac.uk/nicr/statspages/newtables/SurvivalStats/Breast-Surv.html
	Comparable information on breast cancer survival in countries within the European Union is provided by the EUROCARE study. This covers parts of the UK and Europe.
	The most recently published results from this study provide information on survival up to five years after diagnosis for patients diagnosed with breast cancer during 1990–94 and followed up to the end of 1999. These results were published in:
	Berrino, F, Capocaccia, R, Coleman MP, et al. (editors) (2003). Survival of Cancer Patients in Europe: the EUROCARE-3 Study. Annals of Oncology. Volume 14, Supplement 5.
	This volume is available online at
	http://www.annonc.oupjournals.org/content/voll4/suppl 5/index.dtl
	1 As cancer survival varies with age at diagnosis, rates have been age standardised (directly age standardised to the 1986–90 cancer patients population) to control for changes in the age profile of cancer patients over time.
	2 Complete five-year follow-up is currently only available for those diagnosed in 1996. For patients diagnosed in later years the most up-to-date estimates of shorter-term survival were used in this analysis of survival rates.
	3 Eligible patients included in the survival analysis. The criteria for excluding patient records are given in Health Statistics Quarterly 2000; 6: 71–80, for example where the registration was of a second (different) primary cancer:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme health/HSQ6Book.pdf

Debt/Incomes

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average (a) unsecured debt per person, (b) secured debt per person and (c) annual income per person has been in each year since 1997.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl to Dr. Vincent Cable, dated 7 February 2005
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question on secured and unsecured debt per person and annual income per person. I am replying in his absence. (214789)
	The information requested is shown in the table below. The data for secured debt, unsecured debt (households' total financial liabilities other than secured debt) and income (households' gross disposable income) used in the calculations are national accounts series for the combined household and non-profit institutions serving households (NPISH) sectors. The accounts for the household and NPISH sectors are currently combined: separate estimates are not available.
	For the denominator in the calculations the series used is Population aged 16+.
	
		
			£ 
			  Annual income per person Secured debt per person Unsecured debt per person 
		
		
			 1997 12,420 9,430 3,540 
			 1998 12,730 9,960 3,790 
			 1999 13,310 10,720 4,090 
			 2000 14,200 11,570 4,460 
			 2001 15,120 12,670 4,910 
			 2002 15,470 14,290 5,620 
			 2003 16,050 16,400 6,100

Life Expectancy (North-East)

Iain Wright: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the life expectancy is of (a) men and (b) women in (i) Hartlepool, (ii) Tees Valley, (iii) the North East Region and (iv) the UK.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Iain Wright, dated 7 February 2005
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what the life expectancy is of (a) men and (b) women in (i) Hartlepool, (ii) Tees Valley, (iii) the North East Region and (iv) the UK. (213503)
	Figures for life expectancy at birth for the UK and its constituent countries are published annually by the Government Actuary's Department. Figures for life expectancy at birth for English regions and local authorities are published annually by the Office for National Statistics. Both sets of figures are based on three-year rolling averages and are calculated separately for males and females. The most recent available figures, for 2001–2003, are given in the table below.
	
		Life expectancy at birth (years) for the United Kingdom, the North-East Government Office Region, the Tees Valley Local Learning and Skills Council, and Hartlepool local authority, 2001–03
		
			  Male Female 
		
		
			 United Kingdom(6) 75.9 80.5 
			 North East(7) 74.7 79.5 
			 Tees Valley(7) 74.6 79.2 
			 Hartlepool(7) 73.4 78.4 
		
	
	Sources:
	(6) Government Actuary's Department
	(7) ONS

North Durham

Kevan Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people have benefited from child tax credit in North Durham since its inception.

Dawn Primarolo: Estimates of the number of in-work families receiving tax credits (broken down by families with and without children) in each constituency appear in "Child and Working Tax Credit Statistics. Geographical analyses." This can be found on the Inland Revenue website at www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/ stats/personal-tax-credits/menu.htm. The estimates are based on a sample of cases, and are subject to sampling uncertainty.

Population Figures

Adrian Flook: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the population was in each of the last eight years in (a) South Gloucestershire, (b) City of Bristol, (c) North Somerset, (d) Bath and North East Somerset, (e) Taunton Deane, (f) Mendip, (g) West Somerset, (h) South Somerset and (i) Sedgemoor.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibilities of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. Adrian Flook, dated 7 February 2005
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning the population of South Gloucestershire, City of Bristol, North Somerset, Bath and North East Somerset, Taunton Deane, Mendip, West Somerset, South Somerset and Sedgemoor for the last eight years. I am replying in his absence. (214650)
	The table below shows the mid-year population estimates for 1996–2003 for each of these areas.
	
		Mid-year population estimates: 1996 to 2003 (Thousand)
		
			 Area 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 South Gloucestershire 233.0 236.3 238.4 241.6 244.8 246.0 246.4 246.8 
			 City of Bristol 389.2 389.2 389.4 391.0 390.4 390.0 389.7 391.5 
			 North Somerset 183.2 183.8 185.9 186.7 187.7 188.8 189.7 191.4 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 163.6 164.7 166.0 167.1 168.5 169.2 169.5 170.9 
			 Taunton Deane 98.1 98.6 98.9 99.6 100.2 102.6 103.9 105.0 
			 Mendip 99.1 100.4 100.3 101.9 103.1 104.0 104.8 105.6 
			 West Somerset 33.7 33.4 33.9 34.5 34.8 35.1 35.3 35.5 
			 South Somerset 147.6 148.5 149.4 150.2 150.7 151.1 151.8 153.3 
			 Sedgemoor 101.3 102.8 103.7 104.2 105.2 106.0 107.1 108.1 
		
	
	Source:
	Office for National Statistics

Redundancies (Greater London)

Tom Cox: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many redundancies have taken place in the Greater London area in each of the last three years.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 7 February 2005
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about redundancies in the Greater London area. (213387)
	The Labour Force Survey (LFS) provides estimates of numbers of people made redundant according to their area of usual residence. People are asked in the survey if they were made redundant in the three months before their LFS interviews.
	The attached table gives the information requested for people resident in the Greater London area.
	These estimates from Labour Force Survey (LFS) are, as with those from any statistical sample survey, subject to sampling variability.
	
		People resident in Greater London who were made redundant Not seasonally adjusted
		
			 Three months ending November Levels Rate per 1,000 employees(8) 
		
		
			 2002 17,000 5.6 
			 2003 16,000 5.7 
			 2004 17,000 5.8 
		
	
	(8) Denominator for rate is the number of employees in the previous quarter.
	Source:
	ONS Labour Force Survey

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many compensatory payments have been made by the Inland Revenue for errors in tax credit payments in (a) 2002–03, (b) 2003–04 and (c) 2004–05; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what his latest estimate is of the number of compensation claims for tax credits errors by the Inland Revenue under the Code of Practice for Complaints in (a) 2002–03 and (b) 2003–04; how many claims have been authorised for compensation; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The circumstances in which the Inland Revenue will make compensation payments to its customers are explained in the Department's Code of Practice 1 "Putting things right" which is available at www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk. The Department will pay compensation for reasonable costs incurred as a direct result of their mistakes or delays and to recognise worry and distress caused by those mistakes and delays.
	The Department will make a compensation payment if they believe it is justified even if the customer has not asked for compensation. For compensation payments in 2002–03 I refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Hamilton, South (Mr. Tynan) on 23 June 2004, Official Report, column 1411W.
	For the number of compensation payments in 2003–04, I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Northaven (Mr. Webb) and to the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) on 20 July 2004, Official Report, columns 191–92W.
	For the number of compensation payments made between 1 April and 31 December I refer the hon. Member to the reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Field), on the 31 January 2005, Official Report, column 599W.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the total (a) number and (b) monetary value of overpayments of (i) child tax credit and (ii) working credit in (A) 2002–03 and (B) 2003–04; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: For working tax credit and child tax credit, I refer my hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Members for Northavon (Mr. Webb) and Yeovil (Mr. Laws) on 15 November 2004, Official Report, columns 946–48W.
	For working families and disabled person's tax credits I refer the hon. Member to my answer to the hon. Member for Eddisbury (Mr. O'Brien) on 12 November 2003, Official Report, column 394W.

Tax Credits

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy not to reclaim overpaid tax credits where the Department is responsible for overpayment.

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue's Code of Practice 26 ("What happens if we have paid you too much tax credit?") sets out their approach to handling overpayments of tax credits.
	A claimant will not be asked to pay back an overpayment where it was caused by a mistake by the Inland Revenue and it was reasonable for the claimant to think their award was right.
	The Inland Revenue may also decide that a claimant should not be asked to pay back all or part of an overpayment, if this would cause hardship to the claimant and his/her family.

Unemployment

Simon Hughes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the levels of long-term (a) adult and (b) youth unemployment were in North Southwark and Bermondsey in each of the last eight years.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Simon Hughes, dated 7 February 2005
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about unemployment. (214331)
	Table 1 gives estimates of the numbers of long-term unemployed people, both youth and adult, who were resident in the North Southwark and Bermondsey Parliamentary Constituency, for each twelve month period ending February from 1999 to 2004, the most recent available period. Information on length of time unemployed is not available for earlier periods.
	These estimates from Labour Force Survey are, as with any sample survey, subject to sampling variability.
	The Office for National Statistics also compiles statistics of those claiming Jobseeker's Allowance for local areas. Table 2 gives the annual average number of young people aged 18 to 24 years old and adults (aged 25 and over) resident in the North Southwark and Bermondsey constituency claiming Jobseeker's Allowance benefits for over 12 months or more in each year from 1997 to 2004.
	
		Table 1: Long-term(9) unemployment among people resident in North Southwark and Bermondsey parliamentary constituency
		
			 12 months ending February Youth (aged 16–24) Adult (aged 25 and over) 
		
		
			 1999 1,000 1,000 
			 2000 (10)— 2,000 
			 2001 (10)— 2,000 
			 2002 (10)— 1,000 
			 2003 (10)— 1,000 
			 2004 (10)— 2,000 
		
	
	(9) People unemployed for 12 months or more.
	(10) Estimates not shown as they are potentially disclosive.
	Note:
	These estimates are based on very small sample sizes and are subject to a high degree of sampling variability. Changes from year to year, especially should be treated with caution.
	Source:
	ONS Labour Force Survey
	
		Table 2: JSA claimants resident in the North Southwark and Bermondsey constituency claiming for 12 months or more
		
			  Annual averages Youth claimants (aged 18–24) 1 Adult claimants (aged 25 and over) 1 
		
		
			 1997 310 1,980 
			 1998 185 1,430 
			 1999 85 1,445 
			 2000 50 1,370 
			 2001 30 1,065 
			 2002 35 1,025 
			 2003 45 1,115 
			 2004 55 1,160 
		
	
	(11) Computerised claims only.
	Source:
	Jobcentre Plus Administrative system

Hercules Aircraft

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Hercules C130J and C130K aircraft have a full defensive aids suite.

Geoff Hoon: All of the Hercules C130K fleet and about half of the 25 Hercules C130J fleet are equipped with infra-red defensive countermeasures. Additionally, some of these aircraft have an enhanced defensive capability. Only Hercules with appropriate defensive countermeasures are deployed to operational theatres. Other Hercules are used on routine air transport tasks elsewhere.

Defence Employment (Scotland)

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people work for the Defence Estates Agency; how many are employed in Scotland; and what the personnel costs of the agency (i) are in 2004–05 and (ii) were in 2003–04.

Ivor Caplin: The Agency currently employs 2,480 civilian and service staff of which 230 civilians are based in Scotland. UK location data of Service personnel is published in the document governing UK Regular Forces Distribution across the UK. The Defence Analytical Services Agency is, however, currently reviewing the source data and process by which location statistics are produced. The outcome of this review is due to be announced shortly.
	The personnel costs of the Agency were £86 million in 2003–04, including salaries, performance pay or bonuses, overtime, allowances, social security costs and other pension costs but excluding the costs of any early retirements.
	Personnel costs for 2004–05 will not be finalised until April 2005. These costs will, however, appear in the Agency's Annual Report and Accounts which will be published before the summer recess and a copy will be placed in the Library of the House.

Departmental Costs

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much was paid to consultants carrying out staff surveys in the Department in each year since 1997.

Ivor Caplin: Ministry of Defence expenditure on external assistance, of which consultancy is a part, is available in the Libraries of both Houses for the years 1995–96 to 2003–04. While this is broken down by various categories, the MOD does not capture and record specific expenditure on consultants carrying out staff surveys. This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  if he will list the attributable interviews that his Department's special advisers gave to (a) newspapers, (b) journals, (c) books and (d) other media in their official capacity between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004;
	(2)  if he will list the attributable (a) articles and (b) contributions that his Department's special advisers made to (i) newspapers, (ii) journals, (iii) books and (iv) other media in their official capacity between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004.

Ivor Caplin: All special advisers' contacts with the media are conducted in accordance with the requirements of the "Code of Conduct for Special Advisers".

Committee on Standards in Public Life

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Prime Minister what the average cost of an inquiry by the Committee on Standards in Public Life has been in the last 12-month period for which figures are available.

Tony Blair: The Committee on Standards in Public Life published its 10th report "Getting the Balance Right: Implementing Standards of Conduct in Public Life" on 19 January 2005 copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House. The costs of the 10th inquiry are out in the report. No other inquiries were undertaken by the committee in the last 12 months.

European Constitution

John Hayes: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to his answer of 31 January 2005, Official Report, column 583W, on the European Constitution, 
	(1)  if he will list the stakeholders and their affiliation; if he will list the meetings held; on what documents the discussions have been based; and if he will place copies in the Library;
	(2)  if he will list the officials authorised to participate in such discussions; and whether Civil Service codes of conduct apply to such discussions.

Tony Blair: I have nothing further to add to my answer of 31 January 2004, Official Report, column 583W. All meetings are conducted in accordance with the Ministerial Code, the Civil Service Code and the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch Presidency of the EU the Scientific Steering Committee met; when and where these meetings took place; what UK Government expert was present; and if she will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: The EU Scientific Committee, CREST (Comite de Recherche Scientifique et Technique) met 10 times in total during the Italian, Irish and Dutch Presidencies.
	During the Italian Presidency, meetings took place on 5 September, and 5 December and in Genoa on 27 October 2003. During the Irish Presidency, meetings took place in Brussels on 29 January and 29 June and in Galway on 1 April 2004. During the Dutch Presidency, meetings took place in Brussels on 16 July, 1 October and 10 December and in Enschede on 21 October 2004.
	Officials from the Office of Science and Technology (DTI) represented the UK at all of the above meetings. Additionally Research Councils UK attended one meeting where the agenda called for their expertise in the governance of basic research systems.

Export Volumes

James Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the volume of UK exports to (a) the USA and (b) China was in each of the last 10 years.

Douglas Alexander: Data on the UK's exports of goods and services to the USA and China are given in the following table. Data in volume terms are not available on an individual country basis.
	
		UK exports of goods and services to USA and China 1994–2003 £ million
		
			  Current prices 
			  USA China 
		
		
			 1994 27,044 1,057 
			 1995 28,507 1,038 
			 1996 32,917 976 
			 1997 35,199 1,143 
			 1998 36,219 1,156 
			 1999 41,388 1,659 
			 2000 48,191 1,911 
			 2001 48,025 2,307 
			 2002 49,747 2,190 
			 2003 50,914 2,750 
		
	
	Source:
	United Kingdom Balance of Payments (The Pink Book), ONS

Mobile Phones

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will invite the Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services to regulate the marketing of mobile phone services to ensure that it is possible readily to terminate the service, with particular reference to (a) ring tones and (b) jokes.

Mike O'Brien: The Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services (ICSTIS) already regulates the marketing and overall operation of mobile phone services such as ring tones and jokes when they are charged for by premium rate. As a principle, consumers should be able to leave mobile phone services (such as ringtones and jokes) as easily as they can join them—and whenever they choose to do so.
	In cases where consumers have been unable to unsubscribe to a service—for example, due to an overcomplicated or convoluted procedure aimed at delaying or preventing someone from opting out of the service—ICSTIS has found these services to be in breach of its Code of Practice (provision on vulnerability). In such cases ICSTIS has imposed fines and/or instructed that access to the service is barred.
	Government and ICSTIS welcomed the recent decision by the mobile networks to formalise the common stop command, ensuring a single common policy for the regulation of subscription services paid for by premium rate SMS. The common stop command is 'stop'.

Mobile Phones

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate her Department has made of how many mobile phones were sold in each of the last five years; what percentage she estimates have become redundant; and what percentage she estimates have been (a) recycled and (b) otherwise disposed of.

Mike O'Brien: No data was readily available on the number of handsets sold per year in the last five years. However, industry estimates that 18 million handsets, are replaced every year and that in total over the last two years there have been about five million handsets taken by mobile phone recycling and refurbishment companies in the UK. It is further estimated by industry that about 60 per cent. of the handsets taken for recycling and refurbishment have been refurbished and tested in the UK and then sold for re-use abroad, mostly to Eastern Europe, Asia and Africa. The remaining 40 per cent. have been sent for materials recycling.

Post Offices

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to increase the extent to which the availability of the Post Office cheque payment service is advertised.

Chris Pond: I have been asked to reply.
	There are no plans to do this.
	Direct Payment is now the normal method of payment for benefits and pensions. The Government have always made it clear that there would be an alternative for the minority of people who are genuinely unable to be paid by Direct Payment into an account. The cheque payment was therefore designed in consultation with a range of customer representative groups and detailed information about it was circulated to them and to all hon. Members in May of last year.
	At the end of the conversion process those customers who have not provided account details will automatically be moved to the cheque method of payment, which can be cashed at a Post Office, or can be paid into a bank account.

Power Station (Plymouth)

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the effect on the creation of new jobs on land at Langage Plymouth of delays in progress with the power station project; if she will vitiate the licence granted in respect thereof; and if she will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: The Secretary of State granted consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 to build a 1,010MW CCGT station at Langage on 20 November 2000. The consent is valid for five years and it is a commercial decision for the developer as to when to start construction

Telephone Sales

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps her Department is taking to control (a) telephone cold calling and (b) unsolicited silent calls from commercial power diallers from (i) within and (ii) outside the UK.

Patricia Hewitt: The information is as follows:
	(a) My Department introduced the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) scheme, under the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 1999. The TPS scheme provides protection to subscribers from unsolicited telephone cold calls, which either originate from the UK or are made from abroad on behalf of UK companies, irrespective of whether they are dialled manually or made by commercial power diallers.
	(b) The Communications Act 2003 confers powers on the Office of Communications (Ofcom) to regulate forms of behaviour, which fall within the Act's definition of persistent misuse of an electronic communications network or service. Unsolicited silent calls made by commercial power diallers are an example of behaviour, which might represent persistent misuse. Ofcom has taken action against companies, which were found to have generated unacceptably high levels of unsolicited silent calls.

Alcohol-Procurement Prosecutions

Ross Cranston: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions there have been of adults found to have bought alcohol on behalf of persons under the age of 18 in (a) pubs, bars and clubs and (b) off-licences and other licensed retailers in each of the last 10 years .

Paul Goggins: The available information on persons proceeded against is contained in the first table.
	
		Number of persons proceeded against for certain liquor law offences(12), England and Wales 1994 to 2003
		
			Purchasing intoxicating liquor for consumption by person under 18 in a bar Licence holder knowingly delivering intoxicating liquor to a person under 18 years for consumption off the premises 
		
		
			 1994 4 3 
			 1995 4 12 
			 1996 4 2 
			 1997 5 2 
			 1998 5 4 
			 1999 5 1 
			 2000 6 — 
			 2001 11 1 
			 2002 23 4 
			 2003 24 6 
		
	
	(12) These data are on a principal offence basis.
	The second table contains information on persons given penalty notices for disorder for offences relating to buying, selling etc. alcohol to persons under 18 in England and Wales.
	
		Penalty notices for disorder issued relating to buying, selling etc. alcohol to persons under 18 in England and Wales 2002 to 2004 (provisional figures)
		
			  2002–03 1 2004 
		
		
			 Offence breakdown   
			 Selling alcohol to person under 18(14) — 79 
			 Purchasing alcohol in licensed premises for person under 18(14) — 19 
			 Delivering alcohol to person under 18(14) — 7 
			 Purchasing alcohol for consumption in a bar in licensed premises for person under 18 2 46 
			 Allowing consumption of alcohol by a person under 18 in bar in licensed premises(14) — 6 
			 Total PNDs issued relating to buying, selling etc. alcohol to persons under 18 2 157 
		
	
	(13) Piloted in Essex, Metropolitan police (part), North Wales (part) and West Midlands from August 2002 for 12 months.
	(14) New offence added to PND scheme from 1 November 2004.

Identity Cards/Passports

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library the information available to his Department on the accuracy of (a) biometric tests and (b) biometric card readers; if he will list the biometric card readers his Department has assessed; what assessment he has made of the accuracy of (i) fingerprint tests, (ii) iris tests and (iii) face recognition tests; and what assessment he has made of the (A) problems and (B) benefits associated with each technology.

Des Browne: Work was commissioned on biometrics from NPL (National Physical Laboratory) on the feasibility of the use of biometrics in an identity card scheme. I have placed copies in the Library, and it is also available on the identity cards publications web page (http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/comrace/identitycards/publications.html). Related work is available on the Communications and Electronic Security Group website (http://www.cesg.gov.uk) in particular the "Best Practice" standards for testing and reporting on biometric device performance and the "Biometrics Testing Final Report", both of which deal with the testing of biometric devices.
	The Police Information Technology Organisation (PITO) has conducted large scale tests on the operational accuracy of fingerprint based identification systems for policing purposes, namely on the National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS), and more recently for its successor, IDENT1. PITO has produced an 'Identification Roadmap' which identifies issues on biometric identification as they relate to its use in policing, both now and in the future. I have placed copies in the Library.
	A very basic benchmark exercise was carried out in 2000 on the Immigration and Asylum Fingerprint Identification system in order to assess the accuracy of the system. The only test carried out involved hard copies often-print fingerprint forms which were searched and stored on the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS).
	The Identity Cards Programme is actively investigating the performance of operational systems which enrol and match biometrics, including fingerprints, face and iris. Our conclusions are that the findings of the National Physical Laboratory reports are supported by the information gained from operational biometric systems.
	Some biometric technology has been used in the UK Passport Service biometric enrolment trial, the results of which will be published in due course, although it is important to note that this was not a systematic test of equipment, nor was it a technology trial. Rather than evaluate equipment, much of which may be superseded by the time are first issued we are working with other Departments and with expert advice to set the requirements for performance. These requirements, and the requirements for evaluation to demonstrate performance, we shall take to the market when the Identity Cards programme enters its procurement stage which is subject to approval of the Identity Cards Bill which is currently before Parliament.

Immigration

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for leave to remain were processed after (a) 20 days, (b) 40 days, (c) 60 days, (d) 80 days, (e) 100 days and (f) more than 100 days; and what percentage of the total number of applications each of these represented in each year since 1997;

Charles Clarke: The information requested is set out in the table.
	
		Leave to remain applications processed during 2002–04
		
			  Total applications processed 20 days or less 21–40 days 41–60 days 61–80 days 80–100 days 101 plus days 
		
		
			 2002
			 Number 288,300 114,115 50,975 34,900 20,895 22,450 44,965 
			 Percentage of total — 40 18 12 7 8 16 
			 
			 2003
			 Number 387,280 214,155 99,070 33,010 12,585 7,535 20,930 
			 Percentage of total — 55 26 9 3 2 5 
			 
			 2004
			 Number 281,305 162,495 71,810 20,520 11,780 7,485 7,215 
			 Percentage of total — 58 26 7 4 3 3 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Comparable data is not available prior to 2002 due to changes in data recording between old and existing databases.
	2. The information for 2004 is for the period between 1 January 2004 and 6 December 2004.
	3. The processing time is taken from the date that the application was received until the dispatch date.
	4. These figures are based on unvalidated information drawn from internal management systems, and there may be data quality variations.
	5. Figures have been rounded to the nearest five.

National Offender Management Service

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment his Department has made of the impact of the introduction of the National Offender Management Service on the input of the voluntary sector to the criminal justice system.

Paul Goggins: The creation of the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) offers a unique opportunity to sustain and expand existing voluntary sector work with offenders, while opening up the prospect of new areas for partnership and engagement with the voluntary and community sector. A new Voluntary Sector Unit has been established to provide a national lead and, will work closely with the recently appointed Regional Offender Managers, assisting them in being able to reach, support and work effectively with voluntary groups in their regions. The work of the Unit will be overseen by an independently chaired Advisory Group drawn from the voluntary sector, prisons and probation. A voluntary sector representative has been appointed to the NOMS Board, voluntary groups are included in the working group on Offender Management and proposals are being developed for a voluntary sector stakeholder group to help develop the mixed economy of provision for NOMS.
	NOMS published a draft strategy "The Role of the Voluntary and Community Sector in the National Offender Management Service" on 31 January 2005. This has been sent to voluntary and community groups and staff working with them in prisons and probation for consultation. The consultation period will run to 25April 2005 and a revised strategy will be produced in the summer.
	NOMS commissioned a study in Yorkshire and Humberside by Sheffield Hallam University. "Enhancing the Role of the Voluntary Sector" The study examines the extent and nature of current voluntary sector involvement with correctional services, identifies good practice in working relationships, assesses the potential for extending involvement, identifies barriers and capacity building needs and suggests ways to help to overcome these.
	Copies of these reports have been widely circulated and are also available on the Home Office and Prison Service websites.
	A major conference and exhibition was held on 22 November 2004, to highlight the contribution made by voluntary and community groups to support the delivery of services to prisoners, offenders and their families. The event was attended by over 500 delegates.
	Funding for 2005 and 2006 has been secured from the Home Office Active Communities Directorate's Change Up programme to support the development of the voluntary sector in this area. This includes training, advice and support to help the voluntary sector prepare for contestability. We will also encourage projects where large organisations work with smaller, local groups; and a project to address the needs of under-represented groups, particularly those from the black and minority ethnic sector.
	A Strategic Partnership Project has been established, led by Clinks, the organisation that supports voluntary and community groups working with offenders and their families. This has provided NOMS with a network of organisations and a quick and easy route to consultation. NOMS has been able to fund a Partnership Manager to support and service this work.

Tsunami (Passports)

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what charges he is imposing on survivors of the recent tsunami to replace passports lost in the disaster.

Des Browne: holding answer 17 January 2005
	In response to recent events the United Kingdom Passport Service (UKPS) has agreed to waive the fee for the replacement of those passports of UK nationals that were lost as a result of the recent tsunami in South East Asia.
	It was the Passport Service's view that because of the magnitude of the disaster, and the circumstances in which British nationals lost their passports, that it was entirely appropriate, given the national response, for those who lost their passports as a result of the disaster to have them replaced free of charge.

Consultants

David Laws: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the total expenditure by his Department on all external consultants was in (a) 1996–97 and (b) 2003–04; and what the estimated cost of employing external consultants will be in (i) 2004–05, (ii) 2005–06, (iii) 2006–07 and (iv) 2007–08.

David Lammy: My Department's net expenditure with consultants in the years requested was as follows:
	1996–97: £1,088,464
	2003–04: £9,016,488
	Information on future expenditure with consultants is not available centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The level of expenditure with external consultants reflects a wide-ranging and fast paced programme of change, designed to modernise and increase efficiency, provide better customer service, and value for money.
	Delivering such a programme has necessitated the use of external expertise to supplement internal resources.

Departmental Policies

Martyn Jones: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to the Clwyd South constituency, the effects on Clwyd South of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997.

Christopher Leslie: The Department for Constitutional Affairs is the Government Department responsible for upholding justice, rights and democracy. The Department's aim is to provide for effective and accessible justice for all, to ensure the rights and responsibilities pf the citizen, and to modernize the law and constitution.
	Currently, the Department has six strategy objectives, which cover the delivery of justice, civil and administrative law, protecting the vulnerable, modernising the constitution, increasing consumer choice and working in partnership with the independent judiciary. The Department also has seven Public Service Agreement targets to help deliver its strategic objectives.
	Examples of the activity in 2004 to deliver these objectives include work with partners to make sure criminal trials are more efficient with the numbers of ineffective Crown Court trials falling from 24 per cent. in 2002–03 to 16 per cent. in September 2004. The rate has reduced from 31 per cent. to 25 per cent. for the same period in the magistrates courts. The Department has also been involved in work to help people resolve their disputes in the most effective way, including pilots to test the effectiveness of court-based mediation. During 2004 there was a reduction from almost 49 per cent. to 41 per cent. in those cases that had eventually to be resolved by a hearing. Another area where pilots were used successfully was for all postal voting in four regions of England at the combined European and local elections in June 2004. Voter turnout doubled in the pilot regions compared with 1999.
	The range of the Department's policies and actions is wide and the statistical information relating to all of that activity is not collected on a constituency basis. Consequently, the information requested in the question cannot be provided in the form requested except at a disproportionate cost. However, statistical information about the Department's activities can be found at:
	http://www.dca.gov.uk/statistics/statfr.htm as well as at www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk.
	An example of the information available on those sites is data on persistent young offenders. The average number of days from arrest to sentence for persistent young offenders sentenced between August and October 2004 was 64 days in the North Wales criminal justice area, which covers the constituency of Clwyd South. This compares with 124 days in the North Wales criminal justice area in the 1997 calendar year.

Departmental Policies

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to the Kingston upon Hull North constituency, the effects on Kingston upon Hull North of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997.

Christopher Leslie: The Department for Constitutional Affairs is the Government Department responsible for upholding justice, rights and democracy. The Department's aim is to provide for effective and accessible justice for all, to ensure the rights and responsibilities of the citizen, and to modernise the law and constitution.
	Currently, the Department has six strategic objectives, which cover the delivery of justice, civil and administrative law, protecting the vulnerable, modernising the constitution, increasing consumer choice and working in partnership with the independent judiciary. The Department also has seven Public Service Agreement targets to help deliver its strategic objectives.
	The range of the Department's policies and actions is wide and the statistical information relating to that activity is not collected on a constituency basis. Consequently, the information requested in the question cannot be provided except at a disproportionate cost. Statistical information about the Department's activities can be found at: http://www.dca.gov.uk/statistics/statfr.htm as well as at www.neighbourhood. statistics.gov.uk.
	An example of the information available on those sites is data on persistent young offenders. The average number of days from arrest to sentence for persistent young offenders sentenced between August and October 2004 was 56 days in the Humberside criminal justice area, which covers the constituency of Kingston upon Hull North. This compares with 129 days in the Humberside criminal justice area in the 1997 calendar year.

Departmental Policies

Jackie Lawrence: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to the Preseli Pembrokeshire constituency, the effects on Preseli Pembrokeshire of his Department's policies and actions since it was established.

Christopher Leslie: The Department for Constitutional Affairs is the Government Department responsible for upholding justice, rights and democracy. The Department's aim is to provide for effective and accessible justice for all, to ensure the rights and responsibilities of the citizen, and to modernise the law and constitution.
	Currently, the Department has six strategic objectives, which cover the delivery of justice, civil and administrative law, protecting the vulnerable, modernising the constitution, increasing consumer choice and working in partnership with the independent judiciary. The Department also has seven Public Service Agreement targets to help deliver its strategic objectives.
	Examples of the activity in 2004 to deliver these objectives include work with partners to make sure criminal trials are more efficient with the numbers of ineffective Crown Court trials falling from 24 per cent. in 2002–03 to 16 per cent. in September 2004. The rate has reduced from 31 per cent. to 25 per cent. for the same period in the magistrates' courts. The Department has also been involved in work to help people resolve their disputes in the most effective way, including pilots to test the effectiveness of court-based mediation. During 2004 there was a reduction from almost 49 per cent. to 41 per cent. in those cases that had eventually to be resolved by a hearing. Another area where pilots were used successfully was for all postal voting in four regions of England at the combined European and local elections in June 2004. Voter turnout doubled in the pilot regions compared with 1999.
	The range of the Department's policies and actions is wide and the statistical information relating to that activity is not collected on a constituency basis. Consequently, the information requested in the question cannot be provided except at a disproportionate cost. Statistical information about the Department's activities can be found at: http://www.dca.gov.uk/statistics/statfr.htm as well as at www.neighbourhood. statistics.gov.uk.
	An example of the information available on those sites is data on persistent young offenders. The average number of days from arrest to sentence for persistent young offenders sentenced between August and October 2004 was 33 days in the Dyfed-Powys criminal justice area, which covers the constituency of Preseli Pembrokeshire. This compares with 124 days in the Dyfed-Powys criminal justice area in the 1997 calendar year.

EU Committee on the Protection of Individuals

Angus Robertson: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs 
	(1)  how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch presidency of the EU the Committee on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data met; when and where these meetings took place; what UK Government expert was present; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch Presidency of the EU the Group on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data met; when and where these meetings took place; what UK Government expert was present; and if he will make a statement.

Christopher Leslie: During the period of the presidencies identified in the questions, the Committee established under Article 31 of the Directive 95/46/EC met 10 times, in Brussels, when the relevant departmental policy official of the UK Government was present. During the same period, the working party established under Article 29 of the Directive 95/46/EC met 13 times, in Brussels, when either the UK Information Commissioner or a representative of the Commissioner's Office was present.

Communities Plan

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much central Government expenditure on the Communities Plan is to be allocated to each programme which is part of the plan.

Keith Hill: The following table provides a breakdown of spending on programmes included in the Communities Plan.
	
		
			£ million 
			 Programme 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 
		
		
			 Regional Housing Pot and predecessor  programmes 2,686 2,451 2,504 
			 Arms Length Housing Management  Organisations (ALMOs) 322 (15)752 961 
			 Disabled Facilities Grant 112 114 104 
			 Homelessness/B and B 89 122 81 
			 Other housing programmes 618 440 455 
			 Housing Market Renewal Fund 70 151 284 
			 Thames Gateway 40 168 194 
			 Growth Areas 21 62 65 
			 Community Infrastructure Fund 0 0 0 
			 Local Environment / liveability (inc. skills) 39 76 78 
			 Regional Development Agencies 1,524 1,456 1,487 
			 European Regional Development Fund 273 292 185 
			 English Partnerships 134 586 386 
			 Other Urban Programmes 18 29 19 
			 Planning (including Planning Delivery Grant) 56 143 183 
			 Neighbourhood Renewal Fund 400 450 525 
			 New Deal for Communities 247 271 273 
			 New Ventures Fund 106 96 82 
			 Total 6,754 7,658 7,865 
		
	
	
		
			£ million 
			 Programme 2006–07 2007–08 Total 
		
		
			 Regional Housing Pot and predecessor  programmes 2,632 2,920 13,193 
			 Arms Length Housing Management  Organisations (ALMOs) 891 887 3,813 
			 Disabled Facilities Grant 121 121 572 
			 Homelessness/B and B 86 94 471 
			 Other housing programmes 471 471 2,455 
			 Housing Market Renewal Fund 336 451 1,292 
			 Thames Gateway 203 206 811 
			 Growth Areas 89 188 426 
			 Community Infrastructure Fund 50 150 200 
			 Local Environment / liveability (inc. skills) 80 90 364 
			 Regional Development Agencies 1,570 1,598 7,635 
			 European Regional Development Fund 254 254 1,259 
			 English Partnerships 358 319 1,783 
			 Other Urban Programmes 19 44 128 
			 Planning (including Planning Delivery Grant) 154 144 678 
			 Neighbourhood Renewal Fund 525 525 2,425 
			 New Deal for Communities 277 246 1,313 
			 New Ventures Fund 94 94 471 
			 Total 8,209 8,802 39,289 
		
	
	(15) This figure includes £180 million designated for gap funding for stock transfers during the SR04 period.
	Notes:
	1. All figures are rounded to the nearest £ million. Totals may not add up, due to rounding.
	2. All figures are planned expenditure, except for 2003–04 where out-turn figures are shown.
	3. Figures for EP from 2004–05 onwards include an adjustment due to changes to the accounting treatment acquisitions. Overall these accounting changes result in an increase of approximately £850 million in the Departmental Expenditure Limit over this period.

Council Tax

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the average band D council tax has been in each county council area in each year since 1997–98.

Nick Raynsford: The information requested is in the table.
	
		Area average band D council tax £
		
			 County 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 Bedfordshire 764 808 877 929 981 1,072 1,194 1,286 
			 Buckinghamshire 639 703 766 813 868 947 1,098 1,173 
			 Cambridgeshire 590 645 723 784 842 948 1,045 1,131 
			 Cheshire 710 827 865 919 975 1,031 1,134 1,193 
			 Cornwall(16) 647 706 748 820 864 941 1,050 1,127 
			 Cumbria 759 826 868 919 964 1,042 1,175 1,238 
			 Derbyshire 734 809 873 933 989 1,082 1,178 1,232 
			 Devon 629 719 776 822 877 965 1,142 1,211 
			 Dorset 705 768 829 876 930 1,024 1,186 1,260 
			 Durham 779 859 896 937 979 1,113 1,211 1,288 
			 East Sussex 691 748 804 868 945 1,007 1,207 1,279 
			 Essex 645 737 786 845 909 995 1,150 1,217 
			 Gloucestershire 642 710 771 843 900 987 1,142 1,207 
			 Hampshire 659 719 779 819 865 944 1,083 1,148 
			 Hertfordshire 628 702 763 808 857 941 1,104 1,171 
			 Kent 631 708 765 826 880 970 1,095 1,166 
			 Lancashire 763 848 914 963 1,003 1,083 1,190 1,252 
			 Leicestershire 704 761 803 859 914 1,008 1,099 1,184 
			 Lincolnshire 658 739 787 831 879 961 1,053 1,117 
			 Norfolk 620 707 779 831 889 983 1,131 1,207 
			 North Yorkshire 626 692 754 798 863 965 1,127 1,203 
			 Northamptonshire 659 708 765 816 860 978 1,071 1,140 
			 Northumberland 736 827 898 954 1,010 1,079 1,204 1,259 
			 Nottinghamshire 769 842 925 978 1,036 1,131 1,249 1,323 
			 Oxfordshire 635 696 771 834 895 978 1,128 1,204 
			 Shropshire 666 724 791 837 890 998 1,148 1,221 
			 Somerset 658 719 770 823 877 983 1,110 1,180 
			 Staffordshire 632 701 760 804 880 943 1,084 1,161 
			 Suffolk 651 706 761 816 873 982 1,164 1,216 
			 Surrey 627 706 764 807 848 946 1,128 1,187 
			 Warwickshire 713 765 823 872 923 1,036 1,133 1,206 
			 West Sussex 652 713 759 802 852 939 1,112 1,179 
			 Wiltshire 650 731 781 841 908 997 1,108 1,182 
			 Worcestershire 616 674 735 806 882 974 1,090 1,171 
		
	
	(16) Including the Isles of Scilly

Fire Service

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many times the Fire Service has been called out on false calls in (a) the North West, (b) Lancashire and (c) Chorley in each of the last five years.

Nick Raynsford: The information requested for Lancashire and the North West is tabled 2003 is the most recent year for which information is available.
	
		False alarms attended by Fire & Rescue Services
		
			  1999 2000 2001 2002 2 2003 2 
		
		
			 Lancashire 10,813 10,728 11,137 11,171 11,692 
			 North West(17) 58,161 56,293 57,361 54,366 56,566 
		
	
	(17) The 'North West' refers to the area covered by the following Fire & Rescue Services: Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Merseyside.
	(18) Data include estimates for false alarms not recorded during periods of national industrial action in 2002 & 2003. Data for 2003 are provisional.
	No information is available centrally on fires and false alarms in Chorley. Information from the Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service website (www.lancsfire.govuk/IRMP/Districts/Chorley%20District%20Profile.pdf) indicates there were 501 falsealarms attended in 2000–01 in Chorley; 532 in 2001–02; and 534 in 2002–03.

Fires (Romford)

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many fires there have been in Romford in the last five years.

Nick Raynsford: The information requested is not held centrally and only be provided could at disproportionate cost. Fire statistics are compiled by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for each Fire and Rescue Authority. In this case, Romford's fires are reported as part of the London total.
	The London Safety Plan 1 (figures prepared by the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority) lists the number of fires in the London borough of Havering on an annual average based on a five-year period (1999–00 to 2003–04) as 1,585.
	1 http://www.london-fire.gov.uk/news/media/bp0506 Havering.pdf

Housing

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many new homes have been built in rural areas in each year since 1997.

Keith Hill: The annual numbers of new-build completions since 1997–98 for English local authorities defined as rural by the Countryside Agency are in the following table.
	
		
			  Completions 
		
		
			 1997–98 55,400 
			 1998–99 49,900 
			 1999–2000 53,300 
			 2000–01 48,700 
			 2001–02 47,500 
			 2002–03 49,100 
			 2003–04 46,800 
		
	
	The complete list of the local authorities classified as rural is published in the Planning Statistics section of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's website (under Urban and Rural Area definitions; Table Bl) http://www.odpm.gov.uk/stellent/groups/odpm control/documents/contentservertemplate/odpm index.hcst?n =3331&l=2.

Housing

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister which recommendations of the Barker review of housing supply the Government intends to implement; and if he will make a statement.

Keith Hill: The Government's initial response to Kate Barker's report was provided by my right hon. Friends the Chancellor and the Deputy Prime Minister alongside the budget on 17 March 2004. We said then that we intend to bring forward a package of measures to address the recommendations of the Barker review by the end of 2005.
	Kate Barker's proposals build on the approach adopted in the Communities Plan, launched by my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister in February 2003. Her analysis has reinforced our case and strategy for more growth. In particular, the Government has accepted Kate Barker's central recommendation that there should be a step change in housing supply and intends to set a national market affordability goal, by the end of 2005, as part of the package of measures in response to the Barker Review.
	In advance of the wider package, and in response to one of Kate Barker's recommendations, the Government recently consulted on proposals to strengthen regional integration by bringing together regional planning bodies and regional housing boards and to provide the merged bodies with independent advice. Following that consultation, we will be announcing decisions shortly.
	In the 2004 Spending Review, we made a start on infrastructure investment in creating a Community Infrastructure Fund, as recommended by Kate Barker. An extra £50 million in 2006–07 and £150 million in 2007–08 will be available to finance transport projects needed to sustain housing growth. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor also allocated funds which, with additional Private Finance Initiative (PFI) funding, aims to provide an extra 10,000 new homes for social let annually, together with resources that will help deliver the 200,000 new homes identified in the Sustainable Communities Plan in Thames Gateway and the other growth areas by 2016 and go further by responding to new proposals for growth.

Local Government

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on plans (a) the Government and (b) the Audit Commission have to extend Comprehensive Performance Assessment to (i) the fire service and (ii) police authorities.

Nick Raynsford: The Government has invited the Audit Commission to take on the role of performance assessment for the Fire and Rescue Service in England. The Audit Commission is currently implementing the Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA) across the 46 English Fire and Rescue Authorities and will publish the results by August 2005. London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority has already been assessed as part of the Greater London Authority's Initial Performance Assessment.
	Neither the Government nor the Audit Commission have any specific plans at present to extend the CPA to Police Authorities. However, the recently published Police Reform White Paper, Building Communities, Beating Crime, suggests a package of measures intended to clarify and strengthen new accountability arrangements for policing. These propose that police authorities, for the first time, be subject to inspection and intervention. The detail of this will be worked though in conjunction with stakeholders.

Local Government Finance

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to his answer of 24 January 2005, Official Report, column 1978W, on local government finance, for which grants Torbay unitary authority may apply; for which grants Torbay unitary authority has applied; and for which grants applications were successful.

Nick Raynsford: The following table lists all grants allocated to Torbay unitary authority in 2004–05 within aggregate external finance (AEF) in addition to revenue support grant and national non-domestic rates. These were the grants referred to in the answer of 24 January 2005, Official Report, column 198W. There are other grants outside AEF but these are not provided for an authority's core services and relate, in the main, to areas of funding which are passed on by local authorities, such as mandatory student awards. For the most part, the authority was entitled to these grants and did not in 2004–05 need to apply in order to receive an allocation.
	
		Torbay £ million
		
			 Grant Amount 
		
		
			 Standards Fund 2.809 
			 Teachers' Pay Reform 1.855 
			 Sure Start General Grant 1.670 
			 Leadership Incentive 0.364 
			 Transitional Support 0.182 
			 School Standards 2.007 
			 Safeguarding Children 0.230 
			 Carers Grant 0.372 
			 Training Support 0.161 
			 National Training Strategy 0.083 
			 Preserved Rights 3.480 
			 Adoption Support and Special Guardianship 0.059 
			 Choice Protects 0.077 
			 Human Resources Development Strategy 0.063 
			 Access and Systems Capacity 1.542 
			 Children and Adolescent Mental Health 0.155 
			 Residential Allowance 1.793 
			 Teenage Pregnancy Local Implementation 0.101 
			 Mental Health 0.342 
			 AIDS Support 0.018 
			 Delayed Discharge 0.337 
			 Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit administration(19) 1.160 
			 Performance Standards(20) 0.266 
			 Civil Defence 0.067 
			 Waste Targeted Grant 0.057 
			 Probation Loan Charges 0.060 
			 Neighbourhood Wardens 0.034 
			 Planning Delivery 0.510 
			 Supporting People 6.130 
			 Supporting People Administration 0.155 
			 Magistrates Courts 0.854 
			 Rural Bus Subsidy 0.015 
			 Homelessness Strategies(21) 0.060 
			 Private Finance Initiative 1.800 
		
	
	(19) Authorities need to submit management information to receive the correct amounts of housing benefits and council tax benefits administration.
	(20) The amount for the HB/CTB Performance Standards is an amount that the local authority has applied for and has been awarded. Payment is dependent on payment progressing.
	(21) Part of grant involves a bid and payment is dependent on key homelessness indicators.
	Some grants are also provided on the basis of eligibility (such as some Standards Fund initiatives where schools might receive support as a result of being designated for a particular role, or in the case of the Teacher Pay Reform Grants where grant is paid on the basis of information held about teacher numbers and salaries).

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what role is fulfilled by the third special adviser in his Department.

Yvette Cooper: Special advisers in this department are appointed under the terms and conditions set out in the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers.

Thames Gateway

Sydney Chapman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much of the additional floor space required to accommodate the new jobs that the Government plans to realise in the Thames Gateway between 2003 and 2016 has received planning permission.

Keith Hill: Data is not held centrally about the amount of floor space expected to be provided by new developments for which planning permission has been granted by local authorities.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not hold data on the total amount of existing commercial and industrial floor space. Across local authority districts in the Thames Gateway, this figure was 24.8 million m 2 in 2004.

Ceasefire (Police Numbers)

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the number of police officers that would be required in the Province if there were to be (a) a full-scale return to terrorism by republican and so-called loyalist terrorist organisations, (b) general observance of a ceasefire by republican and so-called loyalist terrorists but widespread criminality and (c) a total cessation of terrorist and criminal activities by all terrorist organisations.

Ian Pearson: The report of the Independent Commission on Policing, released in September 1999, recommended that the security situation prevailing at that time required the police service to employ 7,500 regular officers.
	This was accepted by Government and the police service. The current established strength of the PSNI is 7,500 regular officers. They continue to be supported by full-time reserve officers. The chief constable recently decided to reduce the number of such officers to 680 by 2007–08. He believes that this level of resource, combined with 7,500 regular officers, will be sufficient for him to deliver an effective policing service to the people of Northern Ireland in the current environment.
	A decision on how large the Police Service of Northern Ireland would need to be to cater for an improved or worsened security and policing environment would be based on operational assessment, and subject to consideration by the chief constable, Government and the Policing Board.

Consultants

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the total expenditure by his Department on external consultants was in (a) 1996–97 and (b) 2003–04; and what the estimated cost of employing external consultants will be in (i) 2004–05, (ii) 2005–06, (iii) 2006–07 and (iv) 2007–08.

Paul Murphy: The following table provides figures for the Northern Ireland Office (excluding its agencies and NDPBs):
	
		
			  Cost (£) 
		
		
			 1996–97 309,000 
			 2003–04 2,806,403 
			 2004–05(25) 1,746,049 
		
	
	(25) 2004–05 actuals are only available to December 2004. The estimated figure, for the financial year 2004–05, is based on the actual spend to December 2004.
	Notes:
	1. PFI costs relating to a major computer system (Causeway Programme) within the department are not included in 2003–04 and 2004–05.
	2. The increases from 1996–97 to 2003–04 and 2004–05 can be mainly explained by expenditure on consultants in the following areas which were not applicable in 1996–97:
	the introduction of the findings of the Criminal Justice Review resulting in expenditure on consultancy by the Public Prosecution Service;
	review of the Electoral System in NI; and
	Bloody Sunday Inquiry IT consultancy costs.
	3. For the financial years 2005–06 to 2007–08, budgets have not yet been allocated to a level of detail to allow us to provide consultancy cost estimates for these years.

DEL Guidelines (Whistle-blowing)

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what guidelines the Department of Employment and Learning has issued to universities on dealing with cases of whistle-blowing.

Barry Gardiner: The Department for Employment and Learning has not directly issued any guidelines to the universities on whistle-blowing. A "Guide for Members of Higher Education Governing Bodies in the UK" issued in November 2004 by the Higher Education Funding Council for England on behalf of the Committee of University Chairmen (CUC) includes guidance specifically on whistle-blowing. The three Higher Education Funding Councils in Great Britain and the Department all contributed to the preparation of the CUC Guide.

Publicity

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the total expenditure by his Department on (a) advertising and (b) advertising and publicity was in (i) 1996–97, (ii) 1997–98 and (iii) 2003–04; and what the estimate of cost of each will be in (A) 2004–05, (B) 2005–06, (C) 2006–07 and (D) 2007–08.

Paul Murphy: The following table provides figures for the Northern Ireland Office (excluding agencies and NDPBs). The figures provided are totals for both advertising and publicity as the Northern Ireland Office does not record these types of expenditure separately.
	
		
			  Total expenditure (£) 
		
		
			 1996–97 480,160 
			 1997–98 616,752 
			 2003–04 460,101 
			 2004–05 (Estimate) 600,960 
		
	
	In 2004–05, a one-off expense of £300,000 was made to cover the cost of the Government leafleting campaign "What to do in the Event of a Public Emergency".
	For the financial years 2005–06 to 2007–08, budgets have not yet been allocated to a level of detail which would allow us to provide advertising and publicity cost estimates for these years.

Stephens Inquiry

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the total cost of the Stephens Inquiry into allegations of collusion has been since it was first established.

Ian Pearson: Sir John Stevens' report is to the Chief Constable. The Stevens investigation has thus far been funded by the PSNI and is therefore a matter for the Chief Constable.
	I have asked the PSNI to provide the hon. Gentleman with the information requested.

Departmental Expenditure

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much the Department spent on lawyers in each year since 1997; how many (a) actions, (b) settlements and (c) court cases there were in each year; and what the costs were of each settlement.

Richard Caborn: The Department incurred the following costs in relation to actual or potential litigation each financial year since 1997.
	
		
			Financial yearTotal cost (£) Number of files worked on by the Treasury Solicitor's Department 
		
		
			 1997–98 199,939.10 8 
			 1998–99 657,153.11 20 
			 1999–2000 25,075.46 15 
			 2000–01 36,943.57 12 
			 2001–02 72,858.21 15 
			 2002–03 198,092.75 29 
			 2003–04 122,799.77 22 
			 2004–05 146,997.05 17 
		
	
	The column headed "Total cost" shows the total annual cost to the Department of legal services relating to litigation in courts and tribunals (including services which did not result in the issue of proceedings).
	The Treasury Solicitor's Department's charges for services relating to litigation (which form by far the greatest part of the annual total) include the cost of (a) litigation lawyers (including solicitors and counsel) and other staff, (b) services and disbursements not attributable to the cost of lawyers (such as court fees) and (c) for the years up to 2001–02, costs and damages paid to other parties in litigation by the Department. After 2001–02, costs and damages paid to other parties in litigation come out of the Department's Treasury Solicitor's budget and such information could be provided only at a disproportionate cost
	The column headed "Number of files worked on by the Treasury Solicitor's Department" shows the number of "files" worked on by the Treasury Solicitor's Department in each year. On receipt of instructions from the Department, a "file" is opened by the Treasury Solicitor's Department to provide a reference for billing purposes. Such a "file" will usually correspond with a court case (or action), but this is not always so. For example, a number of cases may be dealt with under one "file" reference; or there may be a "file" for a claim which is resolved before the issue of court proceedings. Many of the "files" will have been worked on in more than one year. If so, the "file" is included in each of the relevant years.
	A breakdown of this information to give details of the number of cases, how many of these were settled or proceeded to a full hearing, and the legal costs of each case on an annual basis could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The Department's own lawyers assist in the conduct of litigation on behalf of the Department but the costs to the Department of their services are not included in this answer because it is not possible to separate these costs from the total costs of the services they provide.

Liquor Licences (Essex)

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many liquor licences were revoked from (a) public houses, (b) wine bars and (c) nightclubs in (i) Southend-on-Sea and (ii) Essex in each year since 1997.

Richard Caborn: We do not have the breakdown of figures in the categories that you have requested, but we can provide figures for all premises with justices' on-licences which include public houses, nightclubs and wine bars.
	We do not collate numbers of nightclubs specifically. However under the Licensing Act 1964, a special hours certificate is required to permit the sale and consumption of alcohol during specified times on particular days outside the permitted hours up to 2.00 am, and 3.00 am in the West End of London. These certificates apply to on-licensed premises and registered clubs which have a music and dancing licence and provide substantial refreshment. We can supply the figures for the number of special hours certificates refused, but not the number of special hours certificates revoked.
	Statistics on the number of justices' on-licence revocations in England and Wales are collected on a triennial basis. The figures for years 1995, 1998, 2001 were collated by the Home Office and we unable to break these down by county (see table 1 which shows the total numbers of justices' on-licence revocations and the number of special hours certificates refused in England and Wales).
	The figures for justices' on-licences revoked in Essex and the number of special hours certificates refused in 2004 are shown, as well as the number of justices' on-licences revoked in South East Essex (see table 2). Figures are for the year to 30 June.
	
		Table 1
		
			   Year to 30 June  Total of justices' on-licences revoked Total number of special hours certificates refused 
		
		
			 1995 262 211 
			 1998 215 146 
			 2001 132 301 
		
	
	
		Table 2: Year to 30 June 2004
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 Total number of justices' on-licences revoked in:  
			 Essex 11 
			 South East Essex 4 
			 Total number of special hours certificates refused in:  
			 Essex 4 
			 South East Essex 1

Official Residences

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the official residences for which her Department is responsible; who occupies each one; what the annual cost is of running each property; what contribution the occupants of each make towards running costs; what the total capital and refurbishment expenditure has been on those properties in each of the past five years; how much money was spent in each property on (a) flowers and plants, (b) wine and entertaining, (c) food, (d) telephone bills and (e) electricity and gas in 2003–04; how many (i) domestic and (ii) maintenance staff are employed at each property, broken down by post; and what the total cost of staff employment was in 2003–04.

Richard Caborn: DCMS does not have responsibility for any official residences.

Television Licences

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people owning a television licence live in multiple dwelling units in (a) the private sector and (b) social housing.

Estelle Morris: The information requested is not available. The BBC have indicated that the data held by TV Licensing on licences in force does not distinguish between licensable addresses on the basis of whether or not they form part of a building in multiple occupation, nor—with the exception of applications for the Accommodation for Residential Care concessionary scheme—between private sector and social housing.

Arms Exports (West Africa)

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy is on arms sales to (a) Burkina Faso, (b) Benin, (c) Ghana, (d) Côte d'Ivoire, (e) Mali, (f) Niger and (g) Nigeria.

Denis MacShane: The United Kingdom has one of the strictest and most transparent arms export licensing systems of any country. All export licence applications for all destinations are rigorously assessed on a case by case basis against the consolidated EU and national arms export licensing criteria, taking account of the circumstances prevailing at the time and other announced Government policies. The criteria clearly set out, among other considerations, our commitment to take account of the risk that exports might be diverted within the buyer country, re-exported under undesirable conditions, used for internal repression, external aggression or to abuse human rights and the risk of reverse engineering or unintended technology transfer.
	Furthermore, for arms exports to the Côte d'Ivoire, the UK implements fully the arms embargo imposed by UN Security Council resolution 1572 of 15 November 2004, prohibiting the sale or supply of military equipment to Côte d'Ivoire, with certain specific exemptions.
	For arms exports to Burkina Faso, Benin, Ghana, Mali, Niger and Nigeria, the Government also take full account of the Economic Community of West African States Moratorium declared on 1 November 1998 on the import, export and manufacture of light weapons.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will reply to the letter dated 8 December 2004 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr. Majid Ali.

Denis MacShane: My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr. Rammell) replied on 27 January.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will reply to the letter dated 9 November 2004 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to S. Hameed.

Denis MacShane: I refer my right hon. Friend to the reply my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr. Mullin) gave him on 19 January 2005, Official Report, column 1019W. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary replied on 20 December.

Cuba

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Cuban authorities concerning (a) Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet and (b) Jorge Luis Garcia Pérez (Atunez).

Bill Rammell: We regularly raise human rights cases—including those of political prisoners Dr. Oscar Biscet and Jorge Luis Garcia Pérez (Atunez)—with the Cuban authorities in London and in Havana. We have been monitoring their situation and health, and our embassy staff maintain close contacts with local human rights groups involved in their cases and with friends and family of the individuals. Dr. Biscet visited our embassy in November 2002 shortly before his arrest and the embassy continues to maintain regular contact with his wife, Elsa Morejon. The Government are aware of considerable public interest in the fate of all political prisoners in Cuba, including the two mentioned here. The case of Jorge Luis Garcia Pérez has also been raised both bilaterally and within the EU. The UK, along with EU partners, continues to urge the Cuban Government to release all political prisoners in Cuba.

Cuba

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on the maintenance of the EU's Common Position on Cuba.

Bill Rammell: The EU's Common Position on Cuba, adopted in 1996, aims to promote a peaceful transition towards pluralist democracy in Cuba, with respect for human rights and an improvement of the living standards of the Cuban people. The Common Position sets out a policy of constructive engagement and dialogue with both the Cuban government and all sectors of civil society as the best way to achieve this goal. The Common Position is re-evaluated annually. The UK and all other member states are committed to maintaining the Common Position as the basis for the EU's policy towards Cuba. This was reaffirmed by the EU's General Affairs and External Relations Council on 31 January.

Iraq

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many ballot papers for the Iraqi election will be (a) printed and (b) issued; what arrangements have been put in place to ensure that surplus ballot papers are not used and counted; what arrangements are in place to ensure that there is no (i) multiple voting by individuals and (ii) voting by individuals in place of dead or absentee Iraqis; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: The Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq (IECI) printed 59 million ballot papers for the national and provincial elections. The total number of ballot papers allocated to a polling station was determined by the voter register. A small number of surplus ballots were provided to account for spoilt ballots. The IECI ensured that ballot papers were under observation throughout the process, including putting the ballots in tamper evident bags during transit to the tally centre.
	On polling day, voters were required to present identification and were checked against the voter register before entering the polling station and collecting a ballot paper. Once their vote was cast, their finger was marked with indelible ink.
	Before the election took place the voter register was presented for challenges. 4,500 deceased voters had already been removed at an earlier stage. Any that were identified during the challenge period were marked as ineligible.

Iraq

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  when (a) he, (b) officials of his Department and (c) representatives of the UK Government last had discussions with members and representatives of (i) the US Administration and (ii) the Iraqi interim authority concerning the detention of Amir Al-Saadi; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what discussions (a) he, (b) officials of his Department and (c) representatives of the UK Government had with members and representatives of (i) the US Administration and (ii) the Iraqi interim authority concerning the status under which Amir Al-Saadi is being detained; when this status was last (A) reviewed and (B) changed; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what discussions (a) he, (b) officials in his Department and (c) representatives of the UK Government have had with members and representatives of (i) the US Administration and (ii) the Iraqi interim authority concerning the release of Amir Al-Saadi; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: Our Embassy in Baghdad has raised Dr. Al-Saadi's case with the US authorities in Iraq and with senior members of the Iraqi Government. Dr. Al-Saadi was released by the US on 18 January 2005.

Iraq

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Iraqi Government concerning the release of Dr. Amir Al-Saadi.

Chris Mullin: Our embassy in Baghdad has raised Dr. Al-Saadi's case with the US authorities in Iraq and with senior members of the Iraqi Government. Dr. Al-Saadi was released on 18 January 2005.

Iraq

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what latest estimate of civilian casualties he has received from the Iraqi Ministry of Health.

Chris Mullin: The Iraqi Ministry of Health released a statement on 28 January. It stated that records from some 180 hospitals show that:
	"The numbers of casualties for the six months to the end of December are as follows:
	Terrorist incidents: 1,233 killed; 4,115 injured
	Military action: 2,041 killed; 8,542 injured
	Casualties of car bombs and other clearly identifiable terrorist attacks are recorded as being caused by terrorist incidents. All other casualties are recorded as military action. The casualties may include insurgents, civilians, and Iraqi police, who are treated in Ministry of Health hospitals. The casualties may have been killed or injured by terrorist or coalition forces. Coalition forces include Iraqi police, Iraqi security forces, and the multi-national forces".

Iraq

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what investigations have taken place into allegations of misappropriation of oil during the period of the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq.

Denis MacShane: holding answer 4 February 2005
	United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR 1483) of 22 May 2003 established the International Advisory and Monitoring Board (IAMB) to ensure the Development Fund for Iraq (DFI) was used in a transparent manner for the purposes set out in UNSCR 1483. The IAMB consists of members of the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, the IMF, the United Nations and World Bank and, from 5 March 2004, representatives of the Iraqi administration.
	The IAMB approved the appointment of independent accountants, KPMG, to audit the DFI and Iraq's oil export sales. KPMG produced two audit reports covering Coalition Provisional Authority management of the DFI from 22 May 2003 to 28 June 2004. Both audit reports conclude that, with the exception of smuggling,
	"the DFI Statement of Cash Receipts and Payment presents fairly, in all material respects, the receipts and payments of the DFI".
	The IAMB report recognises that
	"all known oil proceeds . . . have been properly and transparently accounted for in the DFI".
	IAMB audit reports are available on the IAMB website at www.iamb.info.

Iraq

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment the British embassy in (a) Damascus and (b) Tehran has made of (i) the reaction of the regimes in (A) Syria and (B) Iran to the recent elections in Iraq and (ii) the implication for relations between each country and Iraq in the future.

Jack Straw: holding answer 4 February 2005
	There has been no official response from the Syrian Government following the elections in Iraq. Prior to the elections, the Syrian Government supported the principle of holding elections but were concerned that the conditions were not ripe because many Iraqis were unlikely to participate.
	Syria supported the development of security and reconstruction in Iraq at the Sharm el-Sheik meeting in October 2004. However, Iraq remains concerned that insurgents and former Iraqi regime elements continue to operate from Syria; and Syria is keen to see the Multi-National Force withdraw from Iraq as soon as possible.
	Iran has welcomed the elections in Iraq. We understand that Iran's Foreign Minister, Dr. Kamal Kharrazi, has sent a message to Iraq's interim Foreign Minister, Hoshyar Zebari, calling it a successful and lively election and an important step towards creating a democratic infrastructure in Iraq. He expressed hope that the election would strengthen relations between Iran and Iraq.
	It is clear to us that a constructive relationship between Iran and Iraq would benefit the stability and security of the region. We hope Iran's actions will reflect the commitment made by its government spokesman that it would
	"not interfere in Iraq's internal affairs".
	We also hope that following the elections in Iraq there will be a deepening of relations between Iraq and its neighbours.

Turkey

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of (a) the treatment of Huseyin Sunal while in police custody in Turkey in April 1996 and (b) the European High Court of Human Rights' ruling of 25 January concerning this case; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: Huseyin Sunal was taken into custody by the Turkish authorities on 1 April 1996 on suspicion of car theft. Sunal's claims that he was subjected to inhuman and degrading treatment while in custody, and that he was not given effective legal remedy at a domestic level, have been upheld by the European Court of Human Rights.
	There has, however, been significant improvement in Turkey's human rights record since 1996, brought about by the Turkish Government's EU-driven domestic reform programme. The European Commission's 2004 progress report on Turkey states that
	"the Government's serious efforts to implement the legislative reforms have lead to a decline in instances of torture".
	Torture of the kind detailed in this case is now extremely rare in Turkey. A package of constitutional amendments was adopted by Turkey in May 2004, that included affirmation that international human rights agreements take precedence over domestic law. The Turkish Justice Minister has publicly affirmed his Government's commitment to uphold European Court of Human Rights judgments.

Ukraine

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government are taking to facilitate the long-term goal of the Ukrainian Government of EU accession.

Denis MacShane: The Government welcomes Ukraine's aspirations and strongly supports efforts to promote economic and political reform, bringing Ukraine closer in line with EU standards. The UK is working with EU partners to develop a programme of enhanced co-operation with Ukraine, responding to the priorities set out by President Yushchenko. The General Affairs and External Relations Council on 31 January welcomed President Yushchenko's intentions, stating that
	"commitment to reform opens the way to a strengthening of relations between the EU and Ukraine."

Consultants

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the total expenditure by his Department on external consultants was in (a) 1996–97 and (b) 2003–04; and what the estimated cost of employing external consultants will be in (i) 2004–05, (ii) 2005–06, (iii) 2006–07 and (iv) 2007–08.

Anne McGuire: The Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999. In 2003–04, the office spent £10,044 on external consultants; no expenditure has been incurred so far during 2004–05. Budgets for future years have yet to be agreed.

Departmental Expenditure

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the cost of travel within the UK for the Department was in each year since 1997; and how much of this was spent on (a) hire cars, (b) helicopter hire, (c) hotel accommodation and (d) subsistence.

Anne McGuire: The Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999. The office also provides support services to the Office of the Advocate-General for Scotland (OAG); prior to 2003–04, separate records were not maintained of the travel costs for the two offices. Expenditure was as follows.
	
		Scotland Office/OAG £
		
			   Of which: 
			  Total travel costs Hire cars Hotel accommodation and subsistence(28) 
		
		
			 1999–2000(29) 212,402 1,576 36,482 
			 2000–01 360,085 3,055 87,005 
			 2001–02 332,560 3,653 73,111 
			 2002–03 322,377 4,499 62,218 
		
	
	
		
			   £ 
			 2003–04 Scotland Office OAG 
		
		
			 Total travel costs 190,585 66,261 
			 Of which:   
			 Hire cars 3,282 60 
			 Of which:   
			 Hotel accommodation and subsistence(28) 46,191 12,328 
		
	
	(28) The office does not record the cost of hotel accommodation separately from the cost of subsistence
	(29) Part year
	There has been no expenditure on helicopter hire.
	All official travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules contained in the staff handbook and all ministerial travel is undertaken fully in accordance with the rules set out in the "Ministerial Code" and "Travel by Ministers", copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.

Departmental Expenditure

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the total expenditure by his Department on (a) advertising and (b) advertising and publicity was in (i) 1996–97, (ii) 1997–98 and (iii) 2003–04; and what the estimate of cost of each will be in (A) 2004–05, (B) 2005–06, (C) 2006–07 and (D) 2007–08.

Anne McGuire: The Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999. The Office incurred no expenditure on these matters during 2003–04; no expenditure has been incurred so far during 2004–05. Budgets for future years have yet to be agreed.

Blood Glucose Strips

David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many primary care trusts (PCTs) operate a policy restricting the number of blood glucose strips available to people with diabetes; and how many blood test strips have been supplied to patients in England on average per PCT in each of the past five years.

Rosie Winterton: Information on primary care trust (PCT) policies relating to the availability of blood glucose strips is not centrally collected. PCTs plan their services according to local need, taking into account relevant national guidelines.
	The following table shows the number of blood glucose monitoring strips dispensed in England from 1999–2003.
	
		Number of blood glucose monitoring strips dispensed in the community in England, and average number per PCT: 1999–2003 Million
		
			   Number of blood glucose monitoring strips Average number of blood glucose monitoring strips dispensed per PCT 
		
		
			 1999 212.3 0.7 
			 2000 252.1 0.8 
			 2001 301.7 1.0 
			 2002 361.8 1.2 
			 2003 398.4 1.3 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The prescription information is from the Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) system, from the Prescription Pricing Authority (PPA), and is based on a full analysis of all prescriptions dispenses in the community, ie by community pharmacists and appliance contractors, dispensing doctors and prescriptions submitted by prescribing doctors for items personally administered in England. Also included are prescriptions written in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man but dispensed in England. The data do not cover drugs dispensed in hospitals, including mental health trusts, or private prescriptions.
	2. The average number of blood glucose monitoring strips per PCT has been calculated by dividing the total number of strips by 303 (the number of PCTs). It is not a weighted average and hence does not take into account PCT populations, or number of registered patients per PCT. PCTs came into existence in October 2002. For consistency, the average number of strips per PCT has used the current 303 PCTs for all five years.
	3. Blood glucose monitoring strips are defined within the British National Formulary (BNF) paragraph 6.1.6 "Diagnostic and monitoring agents for diabetes mellitus".
	4. More information on prescriptions dispensed in the community in England are available at: http://www.publications.doh.gov.uk/prescriptionstatistics/index.htm
	Source:
	Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) data from the Prescription Pricing Authority (PPA).

Dentistry

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what percentage of dentists in Kingston and Surbiton stopped taking NHS patients in each year since 1997;
	(2)  what percentage of dentists in London stopped taking NHS patients in each year since 1997, broken down by parliamentary constituency.

Rosie Winterton: The majority of dental practices treat both private and national health service patients under an "open" contract with a primary care trust. The Office of Fair Trading report "The private dentistry market in the UK", published in March 2003 estimated that out of 11,000 dental practices about 210 are private. The table shows by London constituency the numbers of dentists who stopped doing general or personal dental service work in England and Wales during the year as a percentage of the total number of dentists for the years 1997 to 2004. These figures do not include dentists who moved to other areas and continued to work in the general or personal dental services. The dentists could have ceased doing NHS work for a number of different reasons, for example, retirement or to take a short-term absence, apart from the reason that the dentist only wished to treat private patients. New contractual arrangements, which we are to introduce by April 2006, are intended to make NHS dentistry more attractive to dentists.
	
		Dentistry—percentage not taking patients in London 1997–2004
		
			 Constituency name 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 Barking 3.7 0.0 0.0 3.9 0.0 2.5 1.2 0.0 
			 Battersea 1.2 1.7 1.2 3.0 3.0 2.9 5.8 2.2 
			 Beckenham 2.3 2.4 0.0 1.6 0.8 3.1 1.6 4.7 
			 Bethnal Green and Bow 2.9 1.8 2.9 1.7 0.6 0.6 3.0 1.7 
			 Bexleyheath and Crayford 0.0 0.0 0.0 5.7 4.4 4.2 1.5 2.8 
			 Brent East 2.4 1.6 1.6 3.3 2.3 1.6 1.6 0.0 
			 Brent North 0.6 2.5 3.0 0.6 1.8 1.2 3.1 1.2 
			 Brent South 2.2 2.1 2.2 0.7 2.8 1.4 1.5 1.4 
			 Brentford and Isleworth 1.0 0.5 1.1 5.3 3.4 8.5 1.1 3.8 
			 Bromley and Chislehurst 2.9 3.6 0.7 3.0 1.5 3.1 3.8 4.6 
			 Camberwell and Peckham 2.0 0.0 5.2 3.2 2.1 1.0 4.0 1.0 
			 Carshalton and Wellington 1.0 1.0 2.0 1.0 1.0 2.3 3.3 5.5 
			 Chingford and Woodford Green 1.9 2.9 2.9 1.9 1.0 3.7 1.8 0.9 
			 Chipping Barnet 0.8 1.6 2.4 0.8 2.5 0.0 4.2 0.8 
			 Cities of London and Westminster 3.1 3.8 5.6 3.7 3.4 4.2 2.7 1.2 
			 Croydon Central 4.7 2.1 2.9 1.3 2.1 3.3 1.6 2.5 
			 Croydon North 1.3 6.5 2.0 1.4 3.6 4.3 2.6 0.7 
			 Croydon South 4.4 2.1 8.0 1.1 5.6 2.2 0.0 2.2 
			 Dagenham 0.0 0.0 0.0 5.8 0.0 3.4 3.4 0.0 
			 Dulwich and West Norwood 1.6 5.4 1.7 1.6 3.2 0.0 4.8 3.3 
			 Ealing North 0.7 3.8 3.9 6.4 2.3 4.0 1.6 4.7 
			 Ealing, Acton and Shepherd's Bush 1.4 1.0 1.4 8.1 2.4 6.0 0.5 3.0 
			 Ealing, Southall 2.5 1.6 2.5 4.9 2.2 5.1 0.8 2.1 
			 East Ham 3.4 0.0 6.0 3.3 4.4 1.1 0.0 1.2 
			 Edmonton 2.1 2.1 6.9 2.2 3.4 3.2 1.1 0.0 
			 Eltham 2.0 3.2 2.2 1.1 2.1 2.0 1.1 1.1 
			 Enfield North 1.4 3.6 0.0 2.2 3.1 2.2 2.8 3.7 
			 Enfield, Southgate 0.8 4.2 2.5 1.6 0.8 2.4 3.4 6.3 
			 Erith and Thamesmead 1.2 3.5 2.4 0.0 3.6 3.4 1.2 3.4 
			 Feltham and Heston 1.7 0.8 0.0 0.8 0.8 2.6 0.9 2.5 
			 Finchley and Golders Green 2.4 1.7 5.5 3.6 4.3 4.9 1.7 2.3 
			 Greenwich and Woolwich 0.0 5.0 1.3 6.5 3.8 2.5 0.0 1.2 
			 Hackney North and Stoke Newington 2.1 1.1 2.4 1.1 3.5 1.0 4.4 1.1 
			 Hackney South and Shoreditch 0.0 4.3 2.6 3.0 3.7 1.5 4.5 3.0 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 0.4 1.3 1.8 4.7 2.7 6.6 2.7 5.5 
			 Hampstead and Highgate 3.8 0.7 3.3 2.2 3.9 5.5 4.0 3.9 
			 Harrow East 1.3 1.8 3.3 2.6 1.3 1.9 0.6 0.6 
			 Harrow West 0.8 1.7 0.8 0.0 3.3 2.3 2.5 2.4 
			 Hayes and Harlington 2.1 0.0 2.3 1.0 4.4 4.3 0.0 2.0 
			 Hendon 1.2 2.4 3.0 0.6 2.5 3.6 2.4 1.8 
			 Holborn and St. Pancras 3.0 5.6 2.6 3.5 4.9 5.6 2.3 2.7 
			 Hornchurch 0.0 1.3 1.3 0.0 4.4 1.3 2.5 3.8 
			 Hornsey and Wood Green 0.8 2.6 0.8 3.0 5.3 2.6 1.3 2.6 
			 llford North 0.8 1.7 0.8 1.7 1.8 3.5 1.7 2.5 
			 llford South 0.6 1.2 1.3 2.5 2.7 4.6 1.3 2.0 
			 Islington North 2.1 2.2 0.0 4.0 1.5 2.5 1.5 2.2 
			 Islington South and Finsbury 2.3 2.8 2.8 2.9 4.5 5.8 2.9 4.2 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 0.0 4.8 5.1 2.1 1.4 5.3 5.3 0.0 
			 Kingston and Surbiton 0.0 0.8 3.3 6.0 5.4 3.5 2.4 2.4 
			 Lewisham East 3.4 1.0 1.3 4.4 1.2 0.0 3.4 2.1 
			 Lewisham West 0.0 2.5 3.9 1.2 3.3 6.5 4.5 0.6 
			 Lewisham, Deptford 1.8 0.9 3.6 2.9 5.6 2.8 0.0 1.8 
			 Leyton and Wanstead 1.4 1.5 3.1 1.6 3.0 0.0 1.4 1.4 
			 Mitcham and Morden 2.3 2.3 0.0 4.7 3.3 2.5 4.8 1.2 
			 North Southwark and Bermondsey 3.2 3.3 0.8 0.7 5.8 4.1 2.4 0.0 
			 Old Bexley and Sidcup 6.0 1.9 4.1 1.0 3.9 3.0 0.9 3.1 
			 Orpington 5.2 2.0 0.0 3.0 3.0 2.0 3.0 2.0 
			 Poplar and Canning Town 2.7 4.8 0.9 2.8 3.6 4.9 0.9 3.0 
			 Putney 1.8 1.2 3.7 4.3 1.9 5.2 6.5 3.7 
			 Regent's Park and North Kensington 1.4 3.3 0.6 0.7 2.8 0.0 1.9 0.0 
			 Richmond Park 2.1 1.4 2.7 3.5 3.5 1.3 4.1 1.4 
			 Romford 1.2 0.0 6.7 2.5 3.8 5.1 3.8 3.9 
			 Ruislip-Northwood 3.3 0.9 3.4 0.8 5.9 1.8 4.2 1.6 
			 Streatham 1.6 2.9 2.9 3.2 2.3 3.9 2.7 2.8 
			 Sutton and Cheam 0.0 2.3 1.5 3.2 3.0 5.3 3.9 4.4 
			 Tooting 2.3 5.3 1.5 2.9 4.1 4.5 2.8 2.7 
			 Tottenham 3.9 2.0 1.0 3.0 1.9 4.0 2.9 4.0 
			 Twickenham 2.7 2.7 5.3 2.7 5.5 2.7 1.8 4.4 
			 Upminster 1.6 1.7 3.5 5.2 1.5 3.4 1.6 1.7 
			 Uxbridge 3.8 5.8 4.0 1.3 5.5 0.0 2.6 1.2 
			 Vauxhall 5.3 4.3 8.9 1.8 3.1 3.7 1.2 3.7 
			 Walthamstow 3.0 4.1 0.0 0.0 3.2 3.2 3.2 0.0 
			 West Ham 3.3 2.1 1.3 0.7 2.1 2.1 2.7 4.1 
			 Wimbledon 2.5 4.0 1.6 5.0 0.0 6.9 2.6 0.0 
		
	
	Source:
	Dental Practice Board

Food Supplements Regulations

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment his Department has made of which supplements will be (a) banned and (b) reformulated under the food supplements regulations;
	(2)  what assessment his Department has made of the public health consequences of (a) prohibiting certain (i) vitamins and (ii) minerals and (b) reducing the potency of certain supplements with particular reference to (A) antioxidants, (B) pre-natal nutrients and (C) high-dose vitamin C, under the food supplements directive;
	(3)  whether the list of approved supplements set out in annexes 1 and 2 of the Food Supplements Directive 2003 will be further reduced before the implementing regulations come into force;
	(4)  what information has been provided to the public to ensure that they are fully aware of (a) which supplements are to be (i) prohibited and (ii) reformulated, (b) the reasons for the prohibitions and reformulations and (c) what alternative supplements they may take to achieve comparable results;
	(5)  what assessment has been made of the likely economic impact of the food supplements regulations on food supplement (a) producers and (b) retailers in the UK;
	(6)  if the Department will review the economic impact of the food supplements regulations once they have come into effect.

Melanie Johnson: Information on the dossiers for ingredients not listed in the food supplements directive (FSD), and which can continue to be used in supplements on sale in the United Kingdom after 1 August, will be available on the European Food Safety Authority and Food Standards Agency (FSA) websites. The FSA will, in addition, provide information on the ingredients listed in the FSD and on the scope of the directive. It is the responsibility of food supplements manufacturers to ensure that the products on sale after 1 August meet the requirements of the FSD and to decide what information is available to consumers on the products on sale. Manufacturers have had three years in which to produce dossiers.
	No assessment has been made by the FSA of which supplements will be banned or reformulated under the FSD. The number of supplements which will be banned or need to be reformulated under the FSD will be dependent on the number of dossiers submitted by industry for assessment by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Where a dossier for a particular ingredient has been submitted to either the UK or another European Union member state then that ingredient will be able to continue to be used in food supplements until December 2009 pending an opinion from EFSA on its use beyond 2009.
	An assessment of the economic impact of the Food Supplement Regulations was made in the Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) which accompanied the regulations. Article 4(8) of the FSD states that, no later than 12 July 2007, the Commission shall submit to the European Parliament and the Council a report on whether the directive should be amended to increase its scope to include other nutrients as well as vitamins and minerals. This will also include a proposal for any amendments to the directive that the Commission deems necessary. The FSA will provide any information requested from member states by the Commission to inform this report.
	The directive does not at present set limits for the levels of vitamins, which can be used in food supplements. High doses of vitamins, which are listed in annex one of the directive, can continue to be used after 1 August when the directive comes into effect.
	The list of supplements in annexes 1 and 2 of the FSD has not been altered since the directive was agreed in July 2002. There is no reason to assume the list would be reduced unless new evidence came to light which raised questions regarding the safety of the vitamins and minerals listed.

Hospital Admissions of Fractured Neck of Femur

Angela Browning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the mortality rate was of people admitted to hospital with fractured neck of femur in each year from 1997–98 to 2003–04, broken down by age group;
	(2)  what the average wait between admission and surgery was for people admitted to hospital for fractured neck of femur in each year from 1997–98 to 2003–04;
	(3)  how many people over the age of 60 years were admitted to hospital in England with fractured neck of femur in each year from 1997–98 to 2003–04.

John Hutton: holding answer 4 February 2005
	Information on the median wait between admission and surgery and the number of people over the age of 60 years admitted to hospital for fractured neck of femur is given in the table. Data on the mortality rate of people admitted to hospital for fractured neck of femur are not collected centrally.
	
		Count of admissions by age group and median pre-operative duration for fractured neck of femur—NHS hospitals, England 1997–98 to 2003–04
		
			61+ years Median pre-operative duration following admission (days) 
		
		
			 1997–98 35,763 1 
			 1998–99 37,769 1 
			 1999–2000 38,905 1 
			 2000–01 37,408 1 
			 2001–02 37,903 1 
			 2002–03 41,530 1 
			 2003–04 41,704 1 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Finished in-year admissions—A finished in-year admission is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider, excluding admissions beginning before 1 April at the start of the data year.
	Please note that admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.
	2. Diagnosis (primary diagnosis)—The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 14 (7 prior to 2002–03) diagnosis fields in the Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data set and provides the main reason why the patient was in hospital.
	3. Ungrossed data—Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e. the data are ungrossed).
	Source:
	Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Department of Health.

In-house Magazines

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent on the production of in-house magazines in the Department in each year since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: The Department produces one in-house magazine for its staff, Link. Costs for the present contractor for each calendar year from 1999 are shown in the table. Costs prior to August 1998 can be provided only at disproportionate cost, so 1998 figures are excluded.
	
		
			  £ 
			  Cost 
		
		
			 1999 125,411 
			 2000 141,838 
			 2001 133,899 
			 2002 155,687 
			 2003 146,489 
			 2004 142,698

MRI Scans

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received on the recent contract with Alliance Medical to provide the NHS with mobile MRI scanning units; what assessment he has made of the impact of the contract on NHS (a) recruitment and (b) retention of (i) radiographers and (ii) other diagnostic staff; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: holding answer 3 February 2005
	Written representation has been received from the Society of Radiographers, the British Medical Association, hon. and right hon. Member and the public. The independent sector will provide additional staff to ease pressure on existing national health service diagnostic teams and the mobile magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanning units will ensure that the NHS and patients get early access to this additional diagnostic capacity.

Rural Areas

Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what initiatives his Department has introduced since 2001 to support health services in rural areas.

John Hutton: The Government's modernisation of the national health service, underpinned by a sustained investment programme, is delivering more staff, faster treatment, more hospitals, a new focus on quality and, crucially, more choice for patients. Coupled with an increase in the NHS budget from £43.9 billion in 2000–01 to £69 billion in 2004–05 has come an increased devolution of power and responsibility to the front line NHS: 80 per cent. of the NHS budget in England is now devolved to local primary care trusts (PCTs), and central targets have been dramatically reduced to give the local NHS in rural and urban areas alike the headroom to address local priorities.
	The Government have therefore given PCTs in rural areas the resources and the authority to make a difference locally and address rural needs. At the national level the Department is committed to rural proofing policies so that they take into account the needs of people living in rural areas. To further support the rural proofing agenda, last year the Government incorporated the rural proofing checklist within the regulatory impact assessment framework, thus ensuring that new policies are screened for their impact on rural communities.
	The Department also supports rural health initiatives through grants to the voluntary sector. The Department has funded the Institute of Rural Health since 2001. The Institute is currently working on two projects (i) the rural health forum project which provides a regular interface between Government Departments and health providers at national, regional and local levels, and (ii) a rural proofing toolkit which will help PCTs and policy makers identify the health needs of residents in rural areas and help incorporate those needs into policy making at a strategic level.
	The Department has also taken specific actions to help patients living with stress and mental health problems in rural areas. The National Institute for Mental Health in England (NIMHE) in implementing the national suicide prevention strategy is providing specific support for farmers and their families. We are also part funding a network of support for people in rural communities who are suffering from stress.

Saneline

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the contribution of Saneline to the provision of support and advice to mentally ill people and their families; what assessment he has made of the impact of any reduction in Saneline's activities as a result of funding shortfall; and if he will make a statement.

Ms Winterton: Saneline provides information, advice and emotional support for people with mental health problems and responds to around 50,000 callers per year. Saneline operates a virtual network with calls routed to whichever site has capacity. At present, Saneline is operating two of its three centres without a reduction in capacity. Saneline refers many of its callers to a range of other helpline providers who, jointly, take a significant number of mental health calls.
	There are around 60 other mental health helpline providers within the voluntary and community sector that provide an excellent service and, between them, handle significant number of calls on mental health issues. Of these, Samaritans receive in excess of 4.8 million contacts a year, of which 2.5 million are by telephone and the majority of these are from people with mental health problems. The organisation Rethink's helplines handle approximately 80,000 calls per year. The majority of these helpline providers, including SANE, Samaritans, Rethink and Mind, are members of the Department's mental health helplines partnership, which aims to achieve greater consistency, quality and choice for people who use members' helpline services.
	In the statutory sector, NHS Direct provides a 24 hour, seven days a week service and its fully-trained staff respond to about 325,000 calls per year from people with mental health issues. NHS Direct works in close partnership with the member organisations of the mental health helplines partnership, including Saneline.
	The Department's contract with Saneline was for two years and it ends on 31 March 2005. The total contract value was £2 million. Part of the contract payment was delayed during discussions on contractual detail with Saneline and when invoices were delayed as a result. No formal assessment of the impact of any potential reduction in Saneline's activities has been made. Saneline, like other voluntary and community sector organisations in health and social care, can apply for further funding.

Secure Units

David Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the medium secure units for people with dangerous and severe personality disorders operating in England; and how many inmates have escaped or absconded from each in each of the last five years.

Rosie Winterton: The Arnold Lodge in Leicester is the only medium secure unit that currently takes patients with a dangerous and severe personality disorder (DSPD). The unit has a personality disorder unit (PDU) that has 12 beds. Of these, five are available for patients with a diagnosis of DSPD.
	From the DSPD beds, no patients have absconded. From the personality disorder beds, two patients have failed to return from leave.
	When a decision is taken to send a patient on leave, a detailed risk assessment is carried out beforehand. This details the potential risks involved should a patient abscond and a plan is in place to deal with these risks should it happen.
	Once a patient is known to have absconded, the local police are informed and any people who from the risk assessment have been identified as being vulnerable. On call arrangements are put in place and local, regional and national briefing if required takes place.
	In both the cases of absconcion from the PD unit at Arnold Lodge, both patients were returned to the unit within five to six hours. In the first case, the patient returned to the unit himself, in the second case, the patient missed a train back and presented to a police station and asked to be returned to Arnold Lodge.

Adviser Discretion Fund

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of Jobcentre Plus clients have received grants from the Adviser Discretion Fund, broken down by benefit received.

Jane Kennedy: The information requested is not available as Adviser Discretion Fund data is collected on an award, not customer, basis.
	It is not possible to equate the number of awards made with the number of customers who have received one as a Jobcentre Plus customer may access the Adviser Discretion Fund on more than one occasion.

Benefit Payments

Alan Reid: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his Department's policy is regarding the payment of benefits to claimants of working age who fail to supply account details to his Department.

Chris Pond: Direct Payment into an account is the normal method of payment for benefits and pensions and will be the best option for the overwhelming majority of our customers, giving them a more modern and reliable method of payment, with greater choice about where and when they collect their money. Using a bank account also helps jobseekers show employers that they are job ready.
	The Department has always recognised that some customers will be unable to be paid in this way and the cheque payment was developed for the small minority of customers who cannot manage Direct Payment.
	We are continuing to contact existing customers to invite them to provide account details. However at the end of this process customers, including those of working age, who have not provided account details, will be paid by cheque if possible after we have verified their address and confirmed there is no doubt about ongoing entitlement.

Benefit Payments

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people claimed unemployment benefit in each constituency in Wales for the latest period in which figures are available.

Chris Pond: The information is in the following table.
	
		JSA caseloads in each parliamentary constituency in Wales: August 2004
		
			 Parliamentary constituency All Contribution-based only Income-based Credits only 
		
		
			 Aberavon 1,000 (30)200 700 (30)100 
			 Alyn and Deeside 1,000 (30)100 700 (30)100 
			 Blaenau Gwent 1,400 (30)300 1,000 (30)100 
			 Brecon and Radnorshire 600 (30)100 (30)400 (30)100 
			 Bridgend 800 (30)200 600 (31)— 
			 Caernarfon 700 (30)100 500 (30)100 
			 Caerphilly 1,700 (30)300 1,400 (30)100 
			 Cardiff Central 1,200 (30)200 900 (30)100 
			 Cardiff North 600 (30)200 (30)300 (30)100 
			 Cardiff South and Penarth 1,600 (30)200 1,300 (30)100 
			 Cardiff West 1,400 (30)100 1,100 (30)200 
			 Carmarthen East and Dinefwr 600 (30)100 (30)400 (30)100 
			 Carmarthen West and South  Pembrokeshire 800 (30)100 600 (30)100 
			 Ceredigion 1,000 (30)100 800 (30)100 
			 Clwyd South 800 (30)100 600 (30)100 
			 Clwyd West (30)400 (30)100 (30)300 (31)— 
			 Conwy 900 (30)100 600 (30)100 
			 Cynon Valley 1,000 (30)200 800 (31)— 
			 Delyn 900 (30)200 600 (30)100 
			 Gower 700 (30)200 500 (31)— 
			 Islwyn 900 (30)200 700 (30)100 
			 Llanelli 800 (30)100 600 (30)100 
			 Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (30)300 (30)100 (30)100 (30)100 
			 Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney 1,300 (30)100 1,100 (30)100 
			 Monmouth 700 (30)100 500 (30)100 
			 Montgomeryshire (30)400 (30)100 (30)200 (31)— 
			 Neath 1,200 (30)200 900 (30)100 
			 Newport East 1,100 (30)200 800 (30)100 
			 Newport West 1,400 (30)200 1,100 (30)100 
			 Ogmore 800 (30)200 600 (31)— 
			 Pontypridd 1,200 (30)300 800 (30)100 
			 Preseli Pembrokeshire 1,200 (30)100 800 (30)200 
			 Rhondda 1,100 (30)100 800 (30)100 
			 Swansea East 1,600 (30)200 1,200 (30)200 
			 Swansea West 1,400 (30)100 1,200 (30)100 
			 Torfaen 800 (30)100 700 (30)100 
			 Vale of Clwyd 900 (30)100 700 (30)100 
			 Vale of Glamorgan 1,400 (30)200 900 (30)200 
			 Wrexham 800 (30)100 600 (30)100 
			 Ynys Mon 1,300 (30)200 1,000 (30)100 
		
	
	(30) Numbers are based on very few sample cases and are subject to a high degree of sampling variation. These figures should be used as a guide to the current situation only.
	(31) Nil or negligible.
	Notes:
	1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 100.
	2. Totals may not sum due to rounding.
	3. The data refers to benefit units, which may be a single person or a couple.
	4. Income-based JSA figures include claimants who would also be entitled to the contributory element.
	Source:
	Information Directorate, 5 per cent. samples

Benefit Payments

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what evidence his Department has relied upon to conclude that over 90 per cent. of pension and benefit claimants in the UK are satisfied with direct payment; and what customer feedback was sought in Scotland to determine preferences on payment methods.

Chris Pond: DWP published independent research on customers' experience of Direct Payment on 24 September 2004 . Among the findings was that 93 per cent. of those surveyed were happy with the process of having payments made into an account. A copy of the research report is in the Library.
	The research covered the views and experiences of a representative group of customers across the whole of Great Britain, including Scotland.
	Note:
	DWP published independent research on customers' experience of Direct Payment on 24 September 2004 refers to: In-house Report 150—"Customer experience of Direct Payment".

Civil Service Salaries

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average annual increase in gross salary was for the year 2003–04 for (a) staff below the Senior Civil Service and (b) the Senior Civil Service in his Department.

Maria Eagle: The average annual increase in gross salary in DWP for the year 2003–04 was 5 per cent. for staff in grades below the Senior Civil Service, and 2.65 per cent. for staff in the Senior Civil Service.
	Notes:
	1. Data source: DWP "Dataview" for September 2003 and September 2004 extracted from FAMIS and Rebus payroll systems. 2. The figures represent all staff in DWP, including those in the corporate centre, Jobcentre Plus, The Pension Service, Child Support Agency, and the Disability and Carer Service. 3. The figures are based on basic full-time, not pro-rated for any working patterns and exclude allowances, overtime, bonuses and employer's national insurance and superannuation liabilities. 4. The percentage growth has been calculated by dividing the increases in mean salaries into the September 2003 mean salaries.

Contract Awards

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many contracts in his Department have been granted to (a) EDS, (b) Fujitsu and (c) jointly in each of the last two years; whether they were open to competition; for what they were granted; for how much; over what period of time; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The Department for Work and Pensions continues to award business to EDS under its Accord and ITPA PFI contracts, both of which were subject to competition and were signed in 1999 and 1998 respectively.
	During the last two years business has been awarded to:
	EDS:
	Pension Credit Front End (awarded under Accord) to a total value of £41.8 million, for the period 1 February 2003 to 31 March 2006.
	Fujitsu:
	Application Hosting and Associated Operational—the initial component of this being an Enterprise Resource Planning system. The contract was awarded following a competition which was advertised in the Official Journal of the European Union and has an estimated value of £27 million over five years.
	Advisory Services to Fujitsu (under Accord) to a value of £0.37 million, of which £0.177 million during 2003 and £0.194 million in 2004.
	Real Time Pensions Forecasting design and development contract awarded to Fujitsu following a competition under the Accord framework,. The contract runs from December 2003 to September 2004 and has an estimated value of £4.654 million. An application maintenance contract for this system has also been awarded to Fujitsu running from September 2004 until March 2006 with an estimated value of £0.592 million.
	No new contracts have been awarded jointly between EDS and Fujitsu within the last two years.

Council Tax Benefit

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners were in receipt of council tax benefit in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Great Britain in (i) each year from 1997–98 to 2004–05 and (ii) each of the last 12 months; and what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the council tax benefit take-up campaign launched by his Department and the Local Government Association in 2004.

Chris Pond: The information is not available in the format requested; the available information is in the following table.
	
		Council tax benefit beneficiaries aged 60 and over in Great Britain, England, Wales and Scotland: May 1997 to 2003
		
			 May England Wales Scotland Great Britain 
		
		
			 1997 2,714,000 156,000 358,000 3,229,000 
			 1998 2,639,000 161,000 369,000 3,169,000 
			 1999 2,560,000 154,000 361,000 3,075,000 
			 2000 2,429,000 156,000 332,000 2,917,000 
			 2001 2,397,000 157,000 336,000 2,891,000 
			 2002 2,339,000 155,000 340,000 2,834,000 
			 2003 2,337,000 154,000 324,000 2,815,000 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand and are subject to a degree of sampling variation.
	2. Totals may not sum due to rounding.
	3. Council tax benefit figures exclude second adult rebates.
	4. "Beneficiaries" are all claimants and partners aged 60 or over.
	Source:
	Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Management Information System, Annual 1 per cent. sample.
	Research was commissioned to establish the general levels of awareness of council tax benefit and to identify the effect of the publicity campaign. The research was conducted at both pre and post stages of the publicity activity. Overall, the research suggested that this activity had a positive effect in raising levels of awareness among our primary target audience of pensioners. Those respondents aged 65 plus were more likely than other age groups to have seen or heard something about paying less council tax, and this increased from 19 per cent. at the pre-publicity stage to 29 per cent. at the post-publicity stage.
	In a recent survey, over 90 per cent. of authorities that responded said that they had introduced initiatives that overlapped with, or were as a result of, the council tax benefit campaign. And around two thirds of authorities said that this had resulted in an overall increase in case load.

Departmental Expenditure

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his latest estimate is of unallocated departmental spending in (a) 2005–06, (b) 2006–07, and (c) 2007–08; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury (Mr. Boateng) on 2 February 2005, Official Report, column 910W.

Incapacity Benefit/Disability Living Allowance

Ronnie Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Blyth Valley are claiming (a) disability living allowance and (b) incapacity benefit.

Maria Eagle: As at 31 August 2004 there were 6,100 people claiming incapacity benefits and 5,000 people in receipt of disability living allowance in the Blyth Valley parliamentary constituency.
	Notes:
	1. Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred. 2. Incapacity benefits includes incapacity benefit, severe disability allowance, and incapacity benefit credits-only cases.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre, 5 per cent. data.

Independent Living Fund

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate his Department has made of the cost of removing the means test from the Independent Living Fund; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: No estimate has been made of the cost of removing the means test from the Independent Living Fund. Insufficient data is held to make such an estimate reliable.

New Deal

John Cummings: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have been assisted into work in Easington constituency under the New Deal since 1997.

Jane Kennedy: The available information is in the table.
	
		New Deal in the Easington constituency
		
			 Programme Individuals into work 
		
		
			 New Deal for Young People 1,250 
			 New Deal 25 plus 380 
			 New Deal for Lone Parents 750 
			 New Deal 50 plus 130 
			 Total 2,510 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. New Deal for Young People information is from January 1998 to September 2004.
	2. New Deal 25 plus information is from July 1998 to September 2004.
	3. New Deal for Lone Parents information is from October 1998 to September 2004.
	4. New Deal 50 plus information is from April 2000 to March 2003 and relates to the number of people who received the New Deal 50 plus employment credit.
	5. New Deal 50 plus data is not available at constituency level after March 2003.
	6. New Deal for Disabled People and New Deal for Partners data is not available at constituency level.
	7. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
	Source:
	New Deal Evaluation Database, DWP Information Directorate

New Deal

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have benefited from the New Deal in North Durham since its inception.

Jane Kennedy: The available information is in the table.
	
		New Deal in the North Durham constituency
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 New Deal for Young People  
			 Individual starts 1,860 
			 Individuals into work 1,260 
			   
			 New Deal 25 plus  
			 Individual starts 1,060 
			 Individuals into work 470 
			   
			 New Deal for Lone Parents  
			 Individual starts 1,150 
			 Individuals into work 710 
			   
			 New Deal 50 plus  
			 Individuals into work 220 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. New Deal for Young People information is from January 1998 to September 2004.
	2. New Deal 25 plus information is from July 1998 to September 2004.
	3. New Deal for Lone Parents information is from October 1998 to September 2004.
	4. New Deal 50 plus information is from April 2000 to March 2003 and relates to the number of people who received the New Deal 50 plus employment credit.
	5. New Deal 50 plus data are not available at constituency level after March 2003.
	6. New Deal for Disabled People and New Deal for Partners data are not available at constituency level.
	7. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
	Source:
	New Deal Database, DWP Information Directorate.

New Deal

Dari Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have started each of the New Deal for Employment programmes in (a) Stockton and (b) Stockton, South; and how many have entered work as a result.

Jane Kennedy: The available information is in the table.
	
		New Deal in Stockton
		
			  Stockton Stockton, South 
			  Individual starts Individuals gaining a job Individual starts Individuals gaining a job 
		
		
			 New Deal for Young People 4,970 3,070 2,110 1,330 
			 New Deal 25 plus 2,270 800 920 340 
			 New Deal for Lone Parents 2,380 1,470 920 570 
			 New Deal 50 plus 390 390 190 190 
			 Total 10,010 5,730 4,130 2,440 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Information for Stockton consists of data for the Stockton, North and Stockton, South constituencies.
	2. New Deal for Young People data are from January 1998 to September 2004.
	3. New Deal 25 plus data are from July 1998 to September 2004.
	4. New Deal for Lone Parents data are from October 1998 to September 2004.
	5. New Deal 50 plus data relate to the number of people who received the New Deal 50 plus Employment Credit up to March 2003.
	6. New Deal 50 plus data are not available at constituency level after March 2003.
	7. New Deal for Disabled People and New Deal for Partners information is not available at constituency level.
	8. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 and for this reason components may not sum to totals.
	Source:
	Information Directorate, DWP

Pension Payments

Mark Fisher: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in (a) Stoke-on-Trent and (b) England have indicated that they wish to continue to collect their pensions at post offices.

Chris Pond: The information is not available in the form requested. Information on methods of payment of state pension is given in the following table. Some of those customers who have opted to be paid directly into a bank or building society account will be able to collect cash from their account at a post office. It is not possible to identify these separately.
	
		State pension accounts broken down by method of payment
		
			  England Stoke-on-Trent 
		
		
			 All accounts 7,992,410 36,675 
			 Payments paid into bank or building  society accounts 5,669,280 19,075 
			 Payments paid into Post Office card  accounts 740,990 6,860 
			 Accounts paid by cheque 1,150 25 
			 Accounts paid by order book 1,565,140 10,675 
			 Other payments 15,855 35 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are rounded to the nearest five and might not sum due to rounding.
	2. Figures are taken from the latest available data at 27 November 2004
	3. Figures relate to accounts rather than recipients; if a person is receiving their state pension through a different benefit they will not be included in the above figures.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre, Department for Work and Pensions, 100 per cent. sample

Pensioners' Benefits

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) recipients of the state pension, (b) individuals eligible for a free television licence, (c) pension credit claimants and (d) recipients of winter fuel payments there were in the Nottingham, North constituency on the latest date for which figures are available.

Malcolm Wicks: As of 31 March 2004, the number of people in receipt of a state pension in the Nottingham, North constituency was 15,500.
	The information for those eligible for a free television licence in the Nottingham, North constituency is not available in the format requested. However, the number of households with at least one person aged 75 or over claiming the winter fuel payment (who would be eligible for a free TV licence) in the Nottingham, North constituency in 2003–04 was 5,330.
	As of 31 December 2004, there were 5,655 households, comprising 6,925 individuals, in receipt of pension credit in the Nottingham, North Constituency.
	Information on the number of winter fuel payments made in each constituency is available in the Library.
	Notes:
	1. The state pension figure is based on a 5 per cent. sample and is therefore subject to a degree of sampling variation. 2. The state pension figure is rounded to the nearest hundred. 3. State pension figures is for all people getting a state pension i.e. a category A, B, C or D state pension or graduated retirement benefit. 4. Parliamentary constituencies are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant postcode directory. 5. Pension credit figures are rounded to the nearest five. 6. Individual recipients of pension credit include a small number of partners under age 60.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre

State Pension

Mark Fisher: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people of pensionable age in Stoke-on-Trent do not receive (a) the full basic state pension and (b) part of the basic state pension as a result of their contribution records.

Malcolm Wicks: The information is not available in the format requested. However, such information as is available for the local authority area of Stoke on-Trent is in the table:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 People of state pension age in receipt of:  
			 A basic state pension at less than the full rate 13,200 
			 A state pension but no basic state pension 300 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are taken from a 5 per cent. sample and are therefore subject to a degree of sampling variation. The figure for the number of people in receipt of a state pension but no basic state pension should only be taken as indicative.
	2. Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred.
	3. A basic state pension is paid to those who fully or partially satisfy the contribution conditions for a category A or category B pension.
	4. Full rate means £77.45 for a basic state pension in 2003–04.
	5. People shown as in receipt of a state pension but no basic state pension are in receipt of a category D pension or either or both graduated retirement benefit and additional state pension.
	6. Local authorities are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant Office for National Statistics postcode directory.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre, 5 per cent. sample as at 31 March 2004

State Pension

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many individuals were in receipt of (a) basic state pension and (b) over-80s pension in Southend-on-Sea in (i) 1980, (ii) 1990, (iii) 2000 and (iv) 2004.

Malcolm Wicks: The information is not available in the format requested. However, such information as is available is in the table:
	
		Local authority area of Southend-on-Sea
		
			  Number of individuals receiving: 
			 March Basic state pension Category D pension 
		
		
			 2000 33,300 100 
			 2004 33,200 100 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are taken from a 5 per cent. sample and are therefore subject to a degree of sampling variation. Figures for category D pensions should only be taken as indicative.
	2. Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred.
	3. A basic state pension is paid to those who fully or partially satisfy the contribution conditions for a category A or category B pension.
	4. Figures for recipients of basic state pension exclude those receiving category C or category D pension only, additional state pension only or graduated retirement benefit only.
	5. Figures for category D pensions include those who get a category D pension alone or in addition to a basic State Pension that is lower than the level of the Category D Pension—£46.35 in 2003–04.
	6. Local authorities are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant Office for National Statistics postcode directory.
	7. Local authority data are not available prior to March 2000.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre, 5 per cent. sample as at 31 March for the years shown.

Winter Fuel Payments

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many individuals were in receipt of (a) winter fuel payments and (b) over-80s annual payments in Southend-on-Sea in (i) 1980, (ii) 1990, (iii) 2000 and (iv) 2004.

Malcolm Wicks: Winter fuel payments were introduced in the winter of 1997–98. Information on the number of winter fuel payments and 80 plus annual payments made in Southend-on-Sea in each year for which figures are available is in the Library.